[Ding, Loyalty Points +5]
[Congratulations, dear host! Yan Rong's current Loyalty Points toward you have reached 70!]
From this moment on, Cui Shu Ruo could truly be said to have gained a "person of her own."
Having secured Yan Rong's promise, Cui Shu Ruo was in excellent spirits. Combined with the calming incense burning in the room's censer and her hopeful anticipation for the days ahead, she slept soundly that night.
However, fate had other plans. In the dead of night, Cui Shu Ruo's door was urgently knocked upon.
Yan Rong opened it to find a Shìzǐ's personal guard clad in armor and holding a sword.
Awakened by the noise, Cui Shu Ruo clutched the hem of her garment, her gaze fixed on the doorway, prepared to speak out at any moment should the visitor prove hostile.
Fortunately, the situation was tense but not dangerous. The guard remained outside the doorframe, clasping his hands in salute. "Young noblewoman Cui, we are under the Shìzǐ's orders to escort you to Youzhou."
"Youzhou?" Cui Shu Ruo murmured. "Why so sudden?"
Could something have happened?
The guard had a square-jawed face, thick brows, and sharp eyes that exuded loyalty and righteousness. His expression was stern and meticulous. "This subordinate does not know. The Shìzǐ has already led the troops back to Youzhou overnight. We are ordered to escort you, young noblewoman."
It seemed no further information could be obtained. Yet, Wei Cheng Huai's hurried return to Youzhou, even abandoning the investigation into Prefect Li's affairs, suggested something must have occurred in Youzhou.
Cui Shu Ruo asked no more questions. She rose swiftly, instructed Yan Rong to prepare some essentials, and hurriedly boarded the horse carriage.
As it was a nighttime journey, despite traveling by horse carriage, the ride remained bumpy. Cui Shu Ruo eventually fell asleep, unsure of when.
When she opened her eyes again, the sun was already high overhead, blazing brightly.
Outside the carriage, the square-jawed guard was speaking coldly with someone. They seemed to have stopped near a temple, as Cui Shu Ruo caught the strong scent of sandalwood and incense smoke.
Cui Shu Ruo's health was already poor, compounded by the aftereffects of her Crow's Mouth and the night's journey. Her head throbbed painfully, but she endured the discomfort as best she could, refraining from groaning aloud.
She pressed a hand to her forehead and asked, "Where have we arrived?"
Yan Rong, who must have woken much earlier, answered without needing to lift the curtain. "This is the rear courtyard of Hanshan Temple outside the city."
Cui Shu Ruo found it strange. The square-jawed guard had accompanied Wei Cheng Huai to Qunan. Why would they visit Hanshan Temple before departing?
She secretly lifted a corner of the curtain. The square-jawed guard had changed out of his heavy, cumbersome armor. Now, he wore a plain blue cotton-linen round-collared robe without any patterns, a black headscarf on his head—an extremely low-key attire—and had even swapped his boots for ordinary black cloth shoes worn by commoners.
Leaving overnight, changing out of armor mid-journey, disguising as ordinary folk, and deliberately detouring to Hanshan Temple.
Cui Shu Ruo herself didn't believe there was no reason behind this. However, given her delicate situation, it was unwise to inquire too much. Raising suspicion could prove dangerous.
Cui Shu Ruo lowered the curtain and settled back into her seat.
After some time, the sound of black cloth shoes treading the ground approached from outside the carriage, finally halting just beyond the door curtain.
"Young noblewoman Cui, the nighttime journey has been arduous. Perhaps you would like to enter the temple first to freshen up and have a meal. We can resume our journey once you have rested." It was the square-jawed guard's voice, as rigid and cold as before.
Although the other party consulted her on every matter with proper etiquette, Cui Shu Ruo understood clearly in her heart that this square-faced personal guard, while seemingly asking for her opinion, had already made decisions. Consulting her was merely a formality; the initiative was never truly in her hands.
She was not foolish enough to object. Instead, she cooperated with a light smile and replied, "Very well. The night's journey has indeed been tiring."
The square-faced personal guard cupped his hands toward the carriage curtain and prepared to leave.
However, Cui Shu Ruo suddenly lifted the carriage door curtain. With a gentle smile, she asked, "May I know your name, sir?"
The square-faced guard remained as rigid and formal as ever. He cupped his hands and said, "Young Noblewoman Cui is too polite. My surname is Zhong. I serve as the Xuanjie Deputy Commandant under the Shìzǐ."
Cui Shu Ruo was not very familiar with these official titles, but seeing Yan Rong's eyes suddenly light up with respect upon hearing his words, she guessed he was no ordinary low-ranking official.
She smiled and bowed in greeting. "Deputy Commandant Zhong!"
Deputy Commandant Zhong sidestepped to avoid Cui Shu Ruo's bow.
"In the coming days, I shall trouble Deputy Commandant Zhong for your care," Cui Shu Ruo thanked him.
"It is my duty. Young Noblewoman Cui need not concern yourself," Deputy Commandant Zhong replied, still wearing his unsmiling expression.
Cui Shu Ruo said nothing more but felt curious. Wei Cheng Huai had a straightforward and open temperament, yet his subordinate seemed to have a completely different disposition. She wondered what their interactions were like. She chuckled softly, dismissing the thought, and followed their arrangements to enter the rear courtyard's guest room to freshen up and rest, lest she unknowingly disturb others.
When living under someone else's roof, it was best to be perceptive.
Fortunately, although staying at Hanshan Temple for a brief rest was merely a pretext, the guest room was tidy and clean, with bedding that had been freshly aired. The armrest table was free of dust. True to its name, Hanshan Temple was serene and cool despite the hot weather. One could endure the scorching sun without an ice basin, and the occasional chanting of Buddhist scriptures brought a sense of tranquility to the heart.
After washing up and having the temple's plain congee and vegetarian dishes, much of the discomfort from the bumpy journey dissipated, and she felt more alert.
After resting for about half an hour, Deputy Commandant Zhong knocked on the guest room door, reminding Cui Shu Ruo that it was time to set off again.
Yan Rong had also prepared spring water to brew tea along the way.
Once they boarded the carriage again and stopped to rest, fiery red clouds had already spread across the horizon. During the journey, Cui Shu Ruo only drank water and ate the pastries prepared inside the carriage.
Finally encountering a courier station, they could rest at last.
This journey had completely taken them away from Qunan. From here on, returning to Youzhou could be done at a more leisurely pace.
Cui Shu Ruo stretched her nearly jolted-apart waist and back. Her current physical condition was no better than that of a frail elderly person on the brink of death—perhaps even worse. At least they wouldn't have only nineteen days of lifespan left.
She also needed to find ways to do more good deeds, preferably benefiting many people at once. Otherwise, doing them one by one, according to the System's evaluation method, she would have to help four people in one go to gain a single day of lifespan.
It was truly exhausting.
As Cui Shu Ruo pondered how to obtain Merit Points, a strange "thud" sound came from the bottom of the carriage.
After the incident at Suizhou's city gates with the Hu people attacking, Cui Shu Ruo's vigilance was high, almost to the point of seeing danger everywhere. She immediately moved to the far edge of the carriage and shouted, "Deputy Commandant Zhong!"
Beneath the carriage, hidden by the Persian carpet, there was originally a recess designed for storing miscellaneous items. Yet, it was not impossible for someone to hide there as well.
Cui Shu Ruo was as tense as a drawn bowstring, her gaze fixed intently on the spot where the noise had come from.
Zhong Xuanjie was also alerted by Cui Shu Ruo’s shout. He strode over, swiftly lifting the carriage curtain. His usually stern and unsmiling face now appeared loyal and reliable.
“What happened?”
Cui Shu Ruo pointed to a spot. “There’s a sound inside!”
Zhong Xuanjie drew his sword, leaped forward, and positioned himself protectively in front of Cui Shu Ruo. His sword pointed directly toward the source of the disturbance. “Whoever is hiding there, come out at once, or I will not show mercy with my blade.”
The disturbance grew louder, and a faint, delicate voice seemed to emerge from within.
“Wait, don’t strike!”
The wooden plank and the expensive Persian carpet were both pushed aside, revealing a disheveled head.
“It’s me!”
The young girl lifted her pretty face, her expression naturally carrying an air of willful arrogance without her needing to say a word.
It was a face familiar to Cui Shu Ruo—they had met just the day before.
It was Li Sanniang.
“How… how did you get here?” Cui Shu Ruo asked in astonishment.
Li Sanniang seemed completely unaware of anything amiss. Instead, she raised her head proudly and said, “I went with my sister-in-law to Hanshan Temple to pay respects to the Buddha. When you lifted the curtain, I saw you. Hmph, a well-bred young noblewoman raised with proper upbringing would never so casually lift a carriage curtain like that. You really are from a humble family.”
Li Sanniang still remembered how she had tried to provoke Cui Shu Ruo the day before, only to be outwitted. Now, seizing the opportunity, she gleefully mocked her as if she had finally gained the upper hand. Only then, under everyone’s gaze, did she explain how she had gotten inside. “As soon as I saw you, and knowing that Mingyuan had already left Qunan, I figured you must be heading to Youzhou to find him.
I wanted to go to Youzhou too, so I sneaked in.”
For a moment, Cui Shu Ruo was at a loss for words. She felt no anger at Li Sanniang’s mockery, for compared to such trivial taunts, she was far more curious about how Prefect Li’s family had raised their daughter.
Was it because she was the youngest that the entire family doted on her excessively, leaving her utterly ignorant of the world outside?
Youzhou and Qunan were at odds. By delivering herself like this, wasn’t she essentially offering herself up as a hostage?
Cui Shu Ruo pitied her foolishness and felt no desire to reprimand her further.
Although she had no real authority to make decisions, she still wanted to warn Li Sanniang. “Are you… truly sure you want to return to Youzhou with us?”
Li Sanniang, however, misunderstood Cui Shu Ruo’s meaning. She furrowed her delicate brows, her pretty face hardening as she naturally assumed a domineering stance. “What, you refuse?
I don’t care. You must take me with you. If you send me back, I’ll tell my father that you kidnapped me!”
She even resorted to threats.
Cui Shu Ruo knew she could not help her anymore. She had no choice but to reluctantly agree before Zhong Xuanjie could react and have her bound. At least by agreeing to let Li Sanniang stay, rather than tearing into an open conflict, she could ensure that Li Sanniang would be treated as a guest and spend the next few days in relative comfort.
Out of the corner of her eye, Cui Shu Ruo noticed Zhong Xuanjie’s right foot retreating after she agreed, confirming that she had guessed correctly.
Yet, at that very moment, a familiar notification sounded in Cui Shu Ruo’s mind.
[Ding, Merit Points +10]
How was this possible??
Merit Points are only added when one does good deeds, but clearly…
And it was +10 Merit Points, which would typically require saving someone's life to earn that many.
Her decision to keep Li Sanniang was only meant to make the latter's life a little easier these past few days.
So why were the Merit Points added? It must be related to Li Sanniang and her own recent decision. Cui Shu Ruo felt she was overlooking something, but she couldn't figure out what.
Yet there must be something unusual about this.