Early in the morning, everyone finished preparing everything they needed for the journey and checked carefully to make sure nothing had been forgotten when Divine Doctor Zhou arrived.
After greeting him, Lin Luoluo waited until Lin Da and the others confirmed that nothing had been left behind. Then she brought her younger brother, younger sister, and Chun Tao onto the carriage.
The convoy slowly left Yancheng and headed south.
“How strange. That brat Yu hasn’t made a single move,” Divine Doctor Zhou muttered to himself. “I clearly told him in my letter that his little consort was in Yancheng. Why hasn’t there been any news?”
“Forget it. I already informed him. He can’t blame this old man for keeping it from him later. Heh heh…”
After mumbling to himself, Divine Doctor Zhou leaned back against his horse and closed his eyes to rest.
Meanwhile, back at Prince Yu’s residence in the capital, Chu Chenyu was drunk again.
Just as he groggily opened the letter a guard had delivered, Murong Qingxue arrived.
“A’Yu! You’ve been drinking again. Are you really going to keep tormenting yourself over her like this?” Murong Qingxue snatched the wine flask from his hand.
“Give it back.”
Chu Chenyu reached out to grab it, and in the struggle, the letter slipped from his hand.
Murong Qingxue glanced at it. The moment the name Lin Luoluo entered her sight, her pupils contracted.
Seeing Chu Chenyu bend down to pick it up, she suddenly smashed the wine flask onto the letter.
In an instant, the paper was soaked through with wine.
Chu Chenyu pushed aside the broken shards and picked up the letter, only to find the ink completely blurred and unreadable.
“Get out!”
Chu Chenyu erupted in fury.
“You’re yelling at me? You’re shouting at me over a letter?”
“So many years of feelings between us, yet I still can’t compare to a dead Lin Luoluo. Chu Chenyu… do you even have a heart?”
As she spoke, tears streamed down her face.
“I’m sorry, Qingxue. I shouldn’t have yelled at you.”
Seeing her cry, Chu Chenyu softened.
“You should go back. Let me be alone for a while.”
“I’m not leaving.”
Tears pouring down her cheeks, Murong Qingxue wrapped her arms tightly around him.
“Qingxue, let go.”
Chu Chenyu tried to pry her hands away.
“A’Yu, don’t send me away. Let me become your woman, alright? Lin Luoluo is gone. Your residence needs a mistress.”
“I’m not asking for all your love. Just a little… even a little is enough. I’m begging you.”
Murong Qingxue cast aside all her pride as she pleaded.
“Qingxue, don’t do this. You’ve always been such a proud person. You don’t have to lower yourself for me.”
“You deserve someone better.”
As Chu Chenyu breathed in Murong Qingxue’s scent, wave after wave of heat suddenly surged through his body. His vision gradually blurred.
Slowly, the woman in his arms transformed into Lin Luoluo.
“Luo’er… you came back.”
Chu Chenyu reached out and gently touched her face.
Murong Qingxue’s heart trembled.
The medicine is finally taking effect. Forgive me for using this method to have you.
She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.
The scene shifted back to Lin Luoluo.
After traveling all morning, the group stopped beneath a shady spot to rest. Although it was the twelfth lunar month, the midday sun still felt somewhat hot.
Huzi and the others started cooking while Lin Yi and the others went to gather firewood.
Lin Luoluo took out some fruit from her space and handed them around.
Divine Doctor Zhou accepted one and took a bite.
His eyes instantly lit up.
“Girl, do you have any more? Give me a few extra!”
Lin Luoluo climbed back into the carriage and returned with over a dozen fruits, handing them to him.
“I still have plenty. If you finish them, just come ask me for more.”
“But even if they taste good, don’t eat too many. If you upset your stomach, don’t come crying to me, understand?”
“Got it, got it. Such a nagging girl,” Divine Doctor Zhou waved her off impatiently.
Taking advantage of his distraction, Lin Luoluo suddenly leaned close, staring directly into his eyes without blinking.
“Old man… do you know me?”
“Cough, cough… cough…”
Divine Doctor Zhou nearly choked.
“Of course I know you! Don’t we know each other now?”
He pretended not to understand.
“Oh, stop pretending.”
“The wedding banquet at Prince Yu’s residence. Need me to remind you further?”
The moment he asked her for fruit, Lin Luoluo suddenly remembered the wedding ceremony at Prince Yu’s residence.
The original owner had found the bridal veil blocking her vision and impatiently yanked it off. In those memories, Lin Luoluo had clearly seen this old man among the guests.
“I don’t care whether you truly don’t know or are pretending not to know—keep your mouth tightly shut.”
“If you dare tell Chu Chenyu that I’m still alive…”
“I’ll break your bones, pluck out every last one of your beard hairs, and never give you fruit again.”
“Hmph!”
Lin Luoluo narrowed her eyes and dragged a finger across her throat in warning.
Before leaving, she even yanked out one of his beard hairs.
“OW—!”
Divine Doctor Zhou clutched the spot on his chin, so furious his beard nearly stood on end.
Detestable… that wretched girl! She actually dared pull out my beard! My precious beard—sob, sob…
Thinking of it only made him take an especially vicious bite of the fruit in his hand, as if it were Lin Luoluo herself and chewing it could vent his frustration.
Forget it. For that brat Yu’s sake, I won’t argue with you.
Before long, the food was ready.
The air filled with the rich aroma of meat.
Divine Doctor Zhou sniffed eagerly.
“Smells amazing!”
His stomach immediately growled in agreement.
“Changqing.”
Divine Doctor Zhou shot over a look, and Gu Changqing instantly understood what his master meant.
“Your disciple will go right away.”
Gu Changqing stood up and headed toward where Huzi and the others were cooking.
Soon, he returned carrying a bowl of meat porridge and a small plate of side dishes.
“Master, eat first. I’ll come back for the bowl later.”
Then he ran off in a flash.
The two large pots of meat porridge were quickly emptied.
After resting for another fifteen minutes, everyone packed up and continued their journey.
At dusk, urgent knocking sounded outside Chu Chenyu’s room at Prince Yu’s residence.
Knock knock knock… knock knock knock.
“My Lord! My Lord!”
The guard Liuyun paced anxiously outside, too afraid to enter directly in case he saw something he shouldn’t. All he could do was keep knocking and calling out.
“Mmn… ah…”
His head splitting with pain, Chu Chenyu woke to the knocking.
He sat up and rubbed his temples to ease the pounding ache.
Then his gaze landed on the figure lying beside him.
His mind instantly went blank.
His body stiffened.
A moment later, his memories returned, and his eyes filled with struggle and complicated emotions.
“My Lord! My Lord!”
The urgent knocking came again.
“Forget it.”
“I know you’re awake.”
“Since this is what you wanted, then for the sake of our many years together, this king (Benwang — a royal self-reference) will grant your wish.”
“But only this much.”
After speaking, Chu Chenyu dressed himself and went to open the door.
“What is it?”
“My Lord, the palace has urgently summoned you.”
Liuyun quickly reported the moment Chu Chenyu appeared.
“Let’s go!”
Chu Chenyu hurried toward the palace with Liuyun.
After he left, Murong Qingxue slowly opened her eyes.
Her face was already drenched in tears.
She had known all along that this would be the outcome, yet she still loved him recklessly.
As long as I can become yours… even if all I can do is watch you from afar, Qingxue will be satisfied.
Perhaps we might even share a blood bond someday.
For the past two months, she had been secretly asking the imperial physicians to help condition her body, carefully preparing herself to conceive more easily before coming to him.