Jing Yi and Jing Er were also busy preparing materials for disguise.
Since the young lady had been under their watchful eyes the entire time, they never entertained the absurd idea that she had become a different person. Instead, they only wondered what kind of dream she had experienced and what miraculous things she had obtained.
In this era, the concept of master and servant was deeply ingrained. Moreover, as Hidden Guards who had been instilled with loyalty since childhood—almost akin to Death Warriors—they obeyed only the young lady’s commands, paying no heed to other matters and focusing solely on their duties.
Xie Zhizhi noticed some plain, rustic clothes belonging to peasant women. She pulled them out and put them on first. “Then let’s disguise ourselves as peasant women. It’s difficult to alter the height, weight, and physical features of men, making it easy to expose our identities.”
As soon as she finished speaking, Xie Zhizhi saw them nod obediently and immediately perform the Face-Changing Art on her, concealing her originally delicate and beautiful appearance and transforming her into a peasant woman with sallow skin and a few yellowish-brown spots. Their technique was even more miraculous than makeup.
Suddenly, a thought occurred to her, and she asked curiously, “But how did you two come out earlier without any disguise?”
There was a reason she didn’t leave alone but brought them along. The main reason was related to the differences in awakening Divine Power after the natural disasters in this world…
With them around, she could also learn more about the world.
Jing Yi had already changed into a new set of clothes. While tidying up the scattered bundles in the carriage, she replied, “It was because someone came to assist us. The General has fought on the battlefield for twenty years, and he is not without support in the court. Our mission is to protect the young lady’s safety.”
So that was it.
Xie Zhizhi asked them to disguise her as well.
“Do you know who sent the black-clad men on the ground?”
Jing Er searched through the bodies of the dead scattered around the grassland but found no identification on them. She shook her head. “There’s no proof of identity. The mastermind is very cautious. However, there’s poison powder in their mouths, and their killing methods are swift, ruthless, and very much like those of assassins.”
Assassins?
Xie Zhizhi was puzzled. Why would assassins come to kill her?
“Let’s not worry about it for now. We need to hurry back to the city and investigate later.”
Xie Zhizhi carefully recalled the plot from the book.
If the black-clad men were assassins, they were at most third-rate assassins—not particularly skilled. Who would have the motive to hire someone to target the Original Host, especially someone who couldn’t afford a more capable assassin?
At this moment, it never crossed her mind that it could be someone from the palace.
She would investigate slowly later. Rats would eventually reveal their tails.
After a while, the three of them packed their belongings. The carriage was only damaged on the top. After discarding the broken part, they kept the seating board, turning it into an open-air carriage. Its simple appearance better matched their current image.
Three plainly dressed, head-scarfed peasant women with sallow faces left the small grove.
They headed toward the imperial city.
They soon arrived at the city gate.
Less than an hour had passed since their departure, and no warrant for Xie Zhizhi’s escape had been issued, so the city gate guards were not strict.
Using the excuse of visiting relatives and with Jing Er presenting a Border Pass Document, the three successfully passed through the checkpoint and entered the imperial city.
Xie Zhizhi applauded their caution. Their first priority was to return to the General’s Mansion.
“Little sister, second sister, let’s find a place to leave the carriage.”
Jing Yi and Jing Er had been as close as sisters to the Original Host since childhood, so they were delighted and quickly accepted this form of address.
The carriage passed through the main streets and headed toward a secluded area.Now the entire imperial city was shrouded in gloomy weather, with few people moving on the streets. Jing Yi drove the carriage to a remote mountain cottage, where neighbors were far and few between, making it convenient for them to carry out their plans.
Jing Er shyly lowered her head. “Big sister, I… I’ll use my lightness skill to carry you.”
Xie Zhizhi nodded in satisfaction. It felt nice to be called “big sister” by a highly skilled martial artist—adding “big” made it even better.
After a moment of playful banter, she grew alert and scanned her surroundings. Hearing Jing Er’s words, she didn’t say much, simply nodded before being held around the waist.
Jing Yi parked the carriage in the backyard of the cottage, a property they had purchased earlier for their own convenience, and quickly caught up with them.
Under the cover of the darkening sky, the three figures stuck to narrow alleys and secluded paths, leaping across rooftops and walls with exceptional lightness skill.
Xie Zhizhi watched the scenery flash by below. Goodness, the phrase “gone in a flash” was perfectly illustrated—this speed was incredible.
She wanted to learn it too!
The General’s Mansion was neither too close nor too far from the imperial palace, separated by two streets. At this moment, the sky was as dark as night, and a strong wind began to blow.
She tightened the cloth wrapped around her head to prevent it from being blown away.
From her memories, Xie Zhizhi knew that the vast General’s Mansion was occupied only by herself. The collateral relatives were Xie Zongyi’s cousins, officials of the third rank, who either sided with the Left Chancellor or the Right Chancellor. The younger generation had never gotten along with her either.
The founding emperor of the Daxing Dynasty had established strict rules: those who committed grave offenses would have their families executed and their properties confiscated, with punishment extending to nine generations. Thus, even exile would involve them. In the book, the Left and Right Chancellors naturally distanced themselves and would not oppose the Emperor.
This had nothing to do with her.
The General’s Mansion was implicated, but not entirely. She guessed the Dog Emperor also wanted to use this opportunity to eliminate the underlings of the Left and Right Chancellors.
They would have to fend for themselves.
Jing Er held her waist and soared through the air with lightness skill, soon arriving at a small grove. From there, they quickly returned to the General’s Mansion through a secret passage, leading directly to Xie Zhizhi’s room.
Jing Yi stood on a tree branch outside the courtyard, observing the area around the room. Only guards and servants were outside, and everything seemed calm for now.
“Miss, if you’re looking for the military map, perhaps you could search the General’s study,” Jing Er suggested.
“Alright, I’ll go take a look in a moment,” Xie Zhizhi replied. She circled around the Original Host’s boudoir and stopped in front of the dressing table.
Suddenly, a shadow appeared beside her.
It looked very much like her.
But it was a soul!
Because it was transparent!
She had seen the Original Host!
She blinked, thinking she was seeing things.
But the Original Host remained there, smiling at her.
She turned her head, her expression calm, and said softly, “Jing Er, please step outside for now.”
Jing Er obediently nodded, opened the door, and left, closing it behind her.
The original Xie Zhizhi was now just a faint shadow. Standing before her, Xie Zhizhi felt no awkwardness despite the strange situation and asked naturally, “Do you know how you died?”
The Original Host ‘Xie Zhizhi’ nodded. “I know, and I’m not sad. Don’t worry, I won’t harm you. You are very capable, and I hope you can survive in this world. I must go now. From the moment you entered, this body became yours. My task is complete. Goodbye!”
Xie Zhizhi was utterly confused. What did she mean by “task completed”?
The next moment, the transparent shadow tapped her forehead, and a flood of the Original Host’s deepest memories surged into her mind, completely merging with all of the Original Host’s memories.
The shadow of the Original Host’s soul gradually dissipated until it vanished entirely.The whole process took no more than a minute, so why did it sound so mysterious? But given her easygoing nature, since she couldn’t figure it out, she simply stopped thinking about it.
Xie Zhizhi stood before the dressing table, knowing from her newly acquired memories that there was a Hidden Passage here.
Her reflection appeared in the intricately carved and bordered bronze mirror before her—this was how she looked in ancient attire.
Quite lovely, actually.
She moved the dressing table aside. Jing Er, hearing the noise, knocked on the door. “Miss, what are you doing?”
“There’s a Hidden Passage here that leads to Father’s study.”