The sky in the east turned a fish-belly white. A small carriage pulled by a black horse quietly left the nameless small town just as the sun was about to rise.
Ye Jingtang was wearing a black robe and a bamboo hat. The therefore Dragon Ringed Saber was hung horizontally behind his waist. He rode slowly on the official road, scanning the endless gray wilderness.
The carriage was small and had few furnishings inside. A thin blanket was spread in the carriage.
Luo Ning had a quilt behind her back and was leaning against the carriage. After resting for a night, most of her limbs had recovered and she could move freely. But she didn't sleep well last night. At this moment, she was leaning on Third Lady's shoulder, closing her eyes and taking a short rest.
The bird that had been on watch all night was lying in the carriage with its claws facing the sky, rolling back and forth as the carriage shook, but there was no sign of it waking up at all.
And Pei Xiangjun, who was leaning in the corner of the carriage, hadn't been able to fall asleep even a bit from last night until now.
Pei Xiangjun had put on her clothes. Her head was leaning against the wooden carriage. Her delicate and beautiful face had returned to its normal fair and tender color, with a faint blush. Through the gap in the shaking carriage curtain, she looked outside the carriage.
Although she could only see Jingtang's back, the sense of security that emanated from his bones made her feel no anxiety or worry at any moment. In such a comfortable situation, it was inevitable that countless thoughts would arise in her heart.
The assassination outside Baoyuanmen might have been arranged by the Zhou family or Junshan Terrace, or it might have been the people of the Spear Master Duan Shengji. These were all the risks that the Pei family and Honghua Tower brought to Jingtang.
Whether it was the revenge of her eldest and second brothers or the foundation of Honghua Tower, it should have been borne by her. Now, it all fell on the shoulders in front of her. Inevitably, she felt a bit of the sentiment that "I have no way to repay this kindness".
Last night, when Jingtang treated her injuries, it was due to the urgency of the situation. His eyes and expression were very focused, just like a calm doctor, without any intention of offense. So she also tried to regard it as something done out of necessity and not think about it in terms of the relationship between a man and a woman.
But in the end, when Jingtang massaged her and his fingers slid into her waistband, his movements were not so calm. Although there was nothing abnormal, the subtle changes in the strength of his fingers did not escape her tense heart.
She knew that Jingtang's heart had been stirred a bit. After all, he was a man. In that situation, how could he really be as calm as a sage...
But if he wasn't as calm as a sage, wouldn't that be considered secretly taking advantage...
Pei Xiangjun's heart was full of mixed feelings, and she didn't know what she was really thinking. She just secretly looked at the back outside the carriage in a daze. While her mind was wandering, she suddenly found that her arm was being hugged.
Pei Xiangjun came back to her senses and looked to the side. She saw the cold and charming Madam Leader leaning on her shoulder. Her eyelashes were moving slightly, as if she was dreaming. Her arms were raised and wrapped around her arm, and her face was slightly red.
?!
What kind of spring dream are you having, you fox spirit? Do you mistake me for Jingtang?
Pei Xiangjun might have been bored. After thinking for a while, she slightly raised her right hand that was being hugged and touched the side of Madam Leader's leg.
"Mn~~"
Luo Ning, who was in her sleep, let out a faint murmur.
Pei Xiangjun looked at her strangely and secretly went "Eh~". She didn't wake Luo Ning up and continued to look outside the carriage.
———
Gulu gulu...
The wheels rolled over the yellow earth official road, and they were on their way back to the capital.
Ye Jingtang rode the fierce horse and moved forward in the gray world. When passing by Tiefo Ridge, he turned his head and took a look.
Yesterday, they discussed and thought that the white bead might be some kind of divine medicine that Cheng Shilu stole from Beiliang.
But this still didn't solve the problem that when he and Cheng Shilu took the medicine together, Cheng Shilu had a mental breakdown while he became stronger.
Explaining it with constitution and luck was a bit far-fetched. After thinking about it all night, he felt that the medicine was likely to have some kind of connection with him.
In order to solve the doubts in his heart, Ye Jingtang quietly ran up to Tiefo Ridge on the way, wanting to check in that stone chamber if there were any other clues left.
Unfortunately, the Cheng family didn't keep the crime scene. Possessing armor privately was a serious crime. To prevent not being able to explain clearly when the government officers came to investigate, the Cheng family had already cleaned the stone chamber thoroughly, leaving only the traces of the fight that day. The truth of this matter was probably only known to the dead Cheng Shilu.
Since he couldn't figure out the truth for the time being, Ye Jingtang kept this matter in mind and whipped his horse to take the two women back to the capital.
It was a day and a half's journey from Guangji back to the capital. They set out in the early morning and traveled until midnight. Since they didn't encounter a suitable village or town to stop at, Ye Jingtang didn't stay.
Traveling day and night, when they returned near Yun'an, it was around three o'clock in the morning the next day.
They had been away for five days, and it was already the beginning of June. A light rain came unexpectedly in the middle of the night.
Ye Jingtang took out a coir raincoat and put it on, then turned to look at the carriage.
There was no light in the carriage. The effect of the medicine on Miss Luo had worn off. She was sitting cross-legged in the carriage, pinching the Meridian and Acupoint Formula with her hands, practicing martial arts.
Third Lady followed the external martial arts path. She was a bit bored. Using Miss Luo's leg as a pillow, she was lying on the thin blanket and had fallen asleep.
The bird was used to sleeping in the second half of the night. At this moment, it was sleeping soundly under the coir raincoat with its head covered.
Ye Jingtang didn't disturb the two women. He led the carriage and came to the towering city wall of Yun'an.
At night, the city gate had already been closed. According to the rules, they had to wait at the gate until the city bell rang before they could enter the city.
Ye Jingtang didn't want to get drenched in the rain outside the city for a few hours. So outside the city gate, he found the city guards on duty and took out the waist token given by Benben, which was "Execute First and Report Later, Authorized by Imperial Power".
The Chief Constables of the Black Yamen caught those powerful and elusive martial arts bandits. It was common for them to enter and exit at night. The city guards didn't stop them. After checking the waist token and reporting to the chief officer, they opened the city gate and allowed the carriage and the horse to enter Yun'an.
In the second half of the night, the sounds of music and singing could still be heard in some streets and markets in the capital. However, there were basically no people on the road.
Ye Jingtang passed through Dongzheng Street and could see that the cloth store that he had smashed last time was under construction, and the street surface had already been repaired.
When the carriage reached the alley entrance of Tianshui Bridge, Ye Jingtang slowed down the horse. He came outside the carriage and knocked on it:
Dong dong~
Luo Ning had woken up when they entered the city. Hearing the sound, she opened her eyes and looked at the plump female boss leaning on her leg.
The effect of the medicine on Pei Xiangjun had also worn off. But the "Reversing Blood in Fengchi" was a move that squeezed the body's potential to the limit and was a desperate move. It was difficult to fully recover from the injury to the Governor Vessel Meridian in just one day, and she was still a bit weak.
Hearing the sound, Pei Xiangjun's eyelashes moved. Looking at the familiar building outside the window, she slowly sat up:
"We're finally home."
Luo Ning looked at the charming female boss in front of her. In fact, she felt a bit complicated in her heart. A few days ago, they weren't familiar with each other and had even quarreled. But after this trip, the female boss had seen her applying Watermelon Frost, and she had seen the little rascal sucking on the large soft mass. Their relationship was obviously a bit strange. Hmm... the friendship of feeding the rascal together?
However, this female boss didn't know the current situation and even refused to call her "Sister Ning'er".
As the legitimate leader, Luo Ning couldn't take the initiative to fawn over her. After thinking about it, she didn't say much and just looked outside:
"Little rascal, you send her back. I'll wait for you at the door."
Pei Xiangjun bent over and got out of the carriage. Holding Ye Jingtang's hand, she jumped down. Because she had been lying down for two days and felt a bit dizzy, she swayed slightly and raised her hand to arrange her hair:
"Why don't you just rest at home and go back when it's dawn?"
Ye Jingtang thought that Miss Luo probably wouldn't stay at the Pei family's house. Supporting Third Lady, he said:
"If we stay at the Pei family's house, we'll inevitably wake up Auntie and the others. It's better to go back quietly."
Luo Ning jumped off the carriage and unharnessed the horse in the alley:
"I still have something to do when I go back. Miss Pei, have a good rest. If there's anything, just come to our house and let us know."
Our house...
Pei Xiangjun knew that this lovesick fox spirit was eager to go back and be intimate with Jingtang, so she didn't insist. She walked towards the gate of the Pei family:
"The door is closed. I don't want to use force. Jingtang, you send me in."
Ye Jingtang didn't say anything. He picked up Third Lady by the crook of her legs and carried her horizontally. He leaped over the high wall and entered the Pei Mansion. He walked along the corridor towards the main courtyard.
As Ye Jingtang walked, he looked down and found that Third Lady was leaning on his shoulder obediently. She looked up at him. When she found that he was looking down, she turned her eyes away.
The two of them passed through the corridors and buildings and came to the main courtyard. The courtyard was very quiet, with only the slight sound of the light rain. There was a sound of breathing in the side room, which should be Xiuhe who had already gone to bed.
Ye Jingtang put Third Lady down and opened the door:
"Third Lady, have a good rest. I'm going back now."
Pei Xiangjun stood at the door of her boudoir, rubbing her sore shoulder. She originally wanted to go in, but after a moment of hesitation, she turned around and looked up at the tall and handsome young master in front of her.
Ye Jingtang blinked his eyes. Looking at the delicate and beautiful face so close to him, those almond-shaped eyes were obviously different from the "pretending to be resentful" look before. They contained some kind of emotion. Her red lips moved, and she hesitated to speak.
Ye Jingtang felt that the atmosphere was not right and showed a smile:
"Third Lady, is there anything else?"
"Mn..."
Pei Xiangjun raised her hand and arranged the coir raincoat on Ye Jingtang's chest. It seemed that she was trying to gather her words. But after thinking for a long time, she said:
"Jingtang, am I a bit fat?"
?
Ye Jingtang thought this question was simply unreasonable. With his firm determination, even he had his thoughts wandering. If one could think that a figure with wide hips and plumpness was fat, then one's sexual orientation was probably wrong.
"Third Lady, don't think nonsense. You don't even need to ask me. Just ask any old lady, and they will praise you for having a figure that symbolizes having many children and good fortune."
Pei Xiangjun nodded thoughtfully. After arranging the collar of the clothes, she stroked it on her chest:
"Alright, I was just asking casually. Go and accompany your Miss Ning'er. Next time you go out to do something, remember to call me. She can't do anything except being fierce at home and being jealous. If I keep you here a little longer, she'll probably come in and snatch you away."
Ye Jingtang secretly sighed. After watching Third Lady enter the boudoir, he helped close the door. Before leaving, he first came to the window of the side room and knocked on it.
Dong dong~
"Mn~ Who is it?"
"Xiuhe, it's me."
"Mn?! Young Master Ye... You..."
"Don't think nonsense. Third Lady is back and she's a bit injured. Go and take care of her."
"Oh... I thought the young master came to bully the maid in the middle of the night~ It was all for nothing..."
?
Ye Jingtang didn't know what to say. Without staying, he leaped onto the corridor. He landed in the alley, carried out the bird that was sleeping like a piglet in the carriage, and mounted the horse:
"Let's go."
Without the "light bulb" in front of her, Luo Ning looked much more natural. She walked out from under the eaves and lightly tapped her toes, wanting to jump onto the horse.
But while Luo Ning was still in the air, she found that the little rascal on the horse reached out and grabbed her. He lifted her around the waist and pulled her to the front, making her sit directly in his arms.
Pu tong~
Luo Ning quickly sat up straight, furrowed her slender eyebrows, and said unhappily:
"Here we go again, right? You act like a gentleman in front of others, but when you're with me, you can't hold back your true nature? Do you think I'm easy to bully?"
"Giddy up—"
Ye Jingtang held Luo Ning and rode the horse towards Ranfang Street. On the way, he pulled up the coir raincoat and covered Luo Ning with it:
"It's drizzling, and there's no umbrella. If you sit at the back and go back, you'll get completely soaked."
Luo Ning thought this explanation made sense, but the place where she was sitting was obviously not very flat. Her eyes turned slightly cold:
"Do you believe that I'll break it off?"
Ye Jingtang was taken aback. Looking at her cold face, he frowned slightly:
"Why do you speak so recklessly after going out for a while... Who are you? Give me back my pure, cold, and elegant Miss Luo."
Luo Ning had experienced great ups and downs during the few days she was out, and she had indeed become a bit more relaxed.
Seeing that the little rascal dared to tease her, she took a breath, put her hand between the two of them, touched the sword hilt, and exerted force...
Ye Jingtang immediately admitted defeat. He quickly held Miss Luo's arm:
"I was wrong. I really was shielding you from the wind and rain. Look, I'm not moving around. We agreed to hug once a day. Don't be angry. Miss Luo can't go back on her word."
"Hmph..."
Only then was Luo Ning satisfied. She put away her cold expression and leaned against Ye Jingtang's arms. She said calmly:
"I know you've been holding back. You performed quite well this time when we went out. Pei Xiangjun seduced you so much, but you didn't give in. I'll help you adjust your body today, and I'll prescribe medicine for you tomorrow. This is the last time."
"Hehe..."