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Not long after that night, Shen Xiling left Shangjing with Qi Ying. They departed just before dawn when the sky above Shangjing was pitch black, impossible to see anything.
The person who came to escort them from the desolate mountain was someone Shen Xiling knew well, yet never expected—her maid for the past five years, Lian Zi.
When Lian Zi saw her, she greeted her with the same gentle and considerate manner as always, then bowed to Qi Ying, addressing him as “Master.”
This...
Shen Xiling looked at Qi Ying with a face full of questions, but he only gave a faint smile and did not explain at that time. It wasn’t until they boarded the carriage and began their journey south that he told her Lian Zi was not an ordinary maid but a female official serving in the Secretariat.
Hearing this, Shen Xiling could hardly believe it. She was speechless for a long while before regaining her composure and asked, “A female official...? Then why would she be by my side...?”
As soon as the words left her mouth, she realized how silly she sounded—why else would it be but because he cared for her and had arranged for someone to watch over her?
Shen Xiling covered her mouth, unable to speak further.
Qi Ying sighed and gently embraced her. The sound of the carriage wheels rumbled on; he remained silent, probably recalling the five long years they had spent apart, just as Shen Xiling was doing at that moment.
Resting against Qi Ying’s shoulder, Shen Xiling thought for a moment and then asked, “Were you afraid I might take my own life or that I’d be bullied in the Duke’s residence? Is that why you specially arranged for someone to stay by my side...?”
He smiled and replied, “Both.”
I feared you might become despondent, and I feared you might be left without support.
Understanding his meaning, Shen Xiling felt both like laughing and crying. After a pause, she asked, “What about those letters I wanted to send you during these five years...?”
During those five years, she had written countless letters to him, most of which were never sent but hidden under her dressing table. Could it be that Lian Zi had copied all those letters and shown them to him?
Sure enough, Qi Ying chuckled and nodded, replying, “I’ve read them all.”
This...
For a moment, Shen Xiling didn’t know whether to feel happy or angry—this man had been silently caring for her all along, which naturally made her glad, but this method seemed rather... And it was also unfair. He knew everything about her, but his every move was strictly guarded. Despite her best efforts, she only managed to gather bits and pieces of information.
Qi Ying noticed her slight displeasure, smiled, and took her hand, saying, “If I confess something else now, will you stop being angry?”
Upon hearing this, Shen Xiling widened her eyes and asked, “There’s something else?”
Her adorable pouting expression amused Qi Ying. He pinched her puffed-up little cheek and said, “I visited you when you were sick a while back.”
Shen Xiling was taken aback, finding it hard to believe. But upon reflection, she realized there were indeed traces to follow.
When she had woken up from a deep sleep back then, her mind was hazy. She vaguely remembered smelling the familiar scent of sweet pine. She had asked Gu Juhán if Qi Ying had come, and he said no, so she believed him, not realizing it wasn’t just her imagination.
Intrigued, she pressed him further, asking, “How could you have gone there? Why did you go?”
He sighed, lowering his phoenix-like eyes, and said, “To feed you your medicine.”
Ever since she was young, whenever she fell seriously ill, she couldn’t be persuaded to take her medicine. For instance, that time she knelt in the snow outside Fenghe Garden on New Year’s Eve, falling gravely ill and nearly dying. The doctor couldn’t get her to take the medicine until he rushed back from the main house, and only then did she drink it.
Now that she had grown up, she was still the same.
Recently, he had heard she was sick but didn’t realize how serious it was until Lian Zi brought him news of her severe condition. With Gu Juhán’s help, he quickly went to the Duke’s residence. In her delirium, she kept having nightmares, tears often at the corners of her eyes, murmuring his name repeatedly.
His heart ached immensely, but he couldn’t stay by her side for long. He comforted her for a while until she drank the medicine, then quietly left in the night, instructing Gu Juhán and Lian Zi not to tell her he had visited.
Shen Xiling pieced everything together and felt moved and reflective—they had endured painful separations, making their current reunion all the more precious.
Shen Xiling rested quietly in Qi Ying’s arms for a while, then opened the carriage window and leaned out to look back.
Behind the carriage, the majestic city of Shangjing had gradually shrunk into a small dot. The years she spent there, the people she met, and the stories that unfolded seemed to slowly drift away from her.
She had endured five extremely painful and lonely years here, but now, as she recalled her departure, many good things had happened as well. Besides meeting some wonderful people, these five years had tempered her character, truly making her independent and strong, giving her the power to realize her own will—only now, Qi Ying hadn’t given her any chance to demonstrate it...
Sigh.
It’s inevitable to feel sentimental during farewells. Qi Ying noticed her slight melancholy and said, “If you miss this place in the future, we can come back when you’re free. I’ll accompany you.”
Shen Xiling turned to look at him, and they exchanged a smile.
She didn’t know if they’d ever have the chance to return to Shangjing again, treating Qi Ying’s words as a jest at the moment. However, she was no longer downcast because she found another way to console herself: although Shangjing was growing distant, Jiankang was drawing nearer.
She was going home with him.
Lian Zi didn’t accompany them far. Once they crossed the county border, she left, and Bai Song, whom they hadn’t seen in a long time, took over—still dressed in black, arms crossed over his sword, with the same scar on his left eyebrow as Shen Xiling remembered.
Seeing Bai Song, Shen Xiling inexplicably felt a sense of relief and unexplainable joy. Perhaps because she always felt Bai Song belonged by Qi Ying’s side, and his absence made things feel off, like they were different from the past. Now that he was back, everything felt right, bringing her immense comfort.
Her happiness was evident, felt by everyone. Even the usually stern-faced Bai Song revealed a smile when he saw her joyful eyes. Through the carriage window, he nodded at her, then sat in front as usual to drive the carriage. Inside, Shen Xiling could hear Qingzhu chatting idly with Bai Song outside. It seemed like complaints, mostly about how exhausting it was to take care of the master alone while Bai Song was away. Bai Song ignored him, leaving Qingzhu to mutter incessantly.
Such familiarity brought her immense ease.
Qi Ying chuckled, flicked her nose, and asked, “Happy now?”
She happily nestled into his embrace, her eyes crinkling with laughter, nodding continuously, saying, “Very happy.”
His eyes shimmered with mirth, looking incredibly gentle. He continued talking with her for a while, then gradually fell into deep thought.
Shen Xiling didn’t disturb him, opening the carriage window slightly to peek outside. She saw the fields and mountains alongside the official road. Soon, she spotted a boundary marker, vaguely reading the inscription “Guangping Prefecture.”
Guangping Prefecture?
Having conducted business across the land for many years, knowing the geography was basic to becoming such a successful merchant. She was intimately familiar with the northern and southern official roads. Closing her eyes, a clear map would appear in her mind. Traveling from Shangjing to Jiankang typically involved passing through Shangdang Prefecture, through Yuzhou to Jingzhou, crossing the river, then either continuing along the waterway downstream to Gaoping before heading south or taking the land route directly through Ruyang Prefecture to reach Jiankang.
No matter the route, there was no reason to detour through Guangping Prefecture.
Finding it strange, she asked Qi Ying the reason, also inquiring about the other officials from Liang who accompanied the marriage envoy. Specifically, where was the young master of the Han family? Did they know Qi Ying was still alive? Were they returning directly to Jiankang or planning to meet up with other Liang officials first?
As usual, Qi Ying was unwilling to explain these details to her.
His expression was quite serious. Since leaving Shangjing, she could sense his demeanor had grown heavier, likely due to some plans brewing in his mind. Recalling the mountain fire incident earlier, Shen Xiling naturally assumed he was evading a new round of assassination attempts. Thus, their intentional detour and avoidance of common routes made sense. Moreover, Bai Song seemed very familiar with the local paths, and even the rest stops and horse changes appeared pre-arranged. Presumably, the reason Bai Song wasn’t confined with Qi Ying in that desolate mountain was to prepare all this in advance.
Although Shen Xiling knew Qi Ying was always meticulous and reliable in his actions, thinking about pursuers behind them made her uneasy, prompting her to ask a few more questions despite her anxiety.
Understanding her concerns, though not elaborating much, he reassured her, “Don’t worry, I’ll handle everything.”
Shen Xiling had grown accustomed to his habit of keeping everything to himself, so she no longer threw tantrums like before. If he insisted on doing things this way, she let him be.
After all, he always made her feel secure.
However, a few days later, Qi Ying fell ill, triggered once again by his addiction.
Five years of consuming the Five-Stone Powder had inflicted immense harm on his body. Even though Qi Ying possessed extraordinary self-control to refrain from using it, its effects lingered and wouldn’t dissipate overnight. Previously, he could barely suppress the withdrawal symptoms in their mountain retreat, but now, amidst their journey, his body gradually couldn’t keep up. He visibly grew weaker each day, eventually unable to conceal it from Shen Xiling.
Shen Xiling had always known he endured physical suffering but never imagined it had reached this severity. Worse still, the Five-Stone Powder exacerbated his pre-existing stomach and heart ailments, even leading to hematemesis.
The first time he vomited blood in front of her, her entire body trembled. While wiping away the blood, her mind raced for solutions, but shock rendered her mind blank—she couldn’t think of anything, not even utter a single word.
His face was as pale as paper, weak as if he might collapse at any moment, yet he still reassured her, telling her he was fine. How could Shen Xiling believe him? She was furious that he had concealed his condition, but more than anger, she felt heartache and fear.
Holding his hand, she said, “Let’s find a town to rest. We need to find a doctor. You need medical attention; we can’t continue like this...”
But he shook his head.
“It’s alright,” he said. “I know my body best. There’s no need to worry so much.”
Shen Xiling was nearly driven mad by his stubbornness, but concerning his health, she was even more resolute, refusing to compromise even a step.
Firmly, she said, “What are you afraid of? Afraid of exposing our tracks by entering a city? That’s just one possibility. But if you don’t see a doctor now, you might not make it back to Jiankang alive! That’s another possibility!”
Her voice rose. She had always avoided the word “death,” but now, overwhelmed by panic, she was on the verge of breaking down. Qi Ying knew mere comfort wouldn’t suffice at this point. After a moment’s contemplation, he said, “Alright, once we enter Liang territory, I’ll see a doctor. For now, listen to me, okay?”
Shen Xiling gave a bitter laugh, saying, “Do you still think I’m a child you can fool? Or do you think I haven’t figured out by now that it’s people from Liang who want to kill you? Entering Jiangzuo will only become more dangerous. If you refuse to expose your whereabouts now, how will you change your mind later?”
She was truly perceptive.
She was no longer the child who used to cling to him and obey his every word. During these five years, she faced numerous crises in the business world and constantly negotiated and schemed with officials from both courts. She had gained considerable experience in making independent judgments and increasingly learned to trust herself.
She understood that if you wanted a result, there was no other path but to fight for it yourself.
At this moment, she didn’t want to argue further with Qi Ying. Supporting him as he leaned on her, she called out to Bai Song outside the carriage curtain, “Brother Bai, is that Chengzhou City ahead?”
Bai Song’s voice came from outside, “Yes.”
“Enter the city in the afternoon,” Shen Xiling immediately followed up. “We’ll spend the night in the city.”
The carriage wheels rumbled on, but Bai Song’s voice hesitated, “Master...?”
He was seeking Qi Ying’s opinion, but Qi Ying remained silent.
An unspoken refusal.
Shen Xiling knew that unless Qi Ying relented, Bai Song wouldn’t enter Chengzhou as she wished. Ultimately, he was his private retainer, following only his orders.
A wave of despair surged within her.
Qi Ying could sense her grievance and sadness. With difficulty, he straightened himself, suppressing another wave of nausea, and gently embraced her, saying, “I promise you. Once we cross the river, I’ll see a doctor. After that, I’ll do whatever you say...”
“This time... I really can’t afford to lose.”
That day, Shen Xiling had no choice but to compromise. However, two days later, they still entered Qingyuan City in Wei Prefecture.
Because Qi Ying had completely fallen ill.
Reflecting carefully, between Shen Xiling and Qi Ying, it was always Shen Xiling who got sick. As a child, she had been seriously ill several times and frequently suffered minor ailments. Almost every time, he was by her side, caring for her, with few exceptions.
Now it was Qi Ying’s turn to fall ill.
He rarely got sick, or perhaps he had been ill but never let anyone know. Now, unable to conceal it any longer, deep-rooted illnesses surfaced.
That day, he collapsed and developed a high fever, terrifying everyone. Even Bai Song, who had received strict orders from Qi Ying to stick to the original plan and not allow any mid-journey city entries, had no choice but to disobey his master’s command and drove the carriage into Qingyuan City under cover of night.
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