Three days later, the day of departure arrived.
The sky was gray and overcast. At the side gate of the marquis residence, a plain carriage covered with blue cloth stood there alone, as simple as could be.
Su Mochen came, walking hurriedly. He stood between his sister and the crude carriage, blocking the curious gazes of the two old servant women.
As soon as he appeared, the two rough-looking servants—who had been standing with their arms folded and impatience on their faces—immediately lowered their hands and heads, standing more properly, though the corners of their mouths still revealed their unwillingness.
“The time is about up,” one of them urged quietly, though she did not dare look at Su Mochen.
Su Mochen ignored her. He simply draped a thick cloak over Su Jinse’s shoulders and carefully tied the straps. His fingers were somewhat stiff, as if he wanted to slow the motion—slower and slower still.
“Brother, it’s enough,” Su Jinse said softly, slowly raising her head and giving him a small smile, as if comforting him.
Su Mochen’s throat moved. Countless words were stuck in his chest, but in the end they only formed a single sentence.
“When you reach Qingxu Temple, be careful in everything. If you lack anything, send word back. Don’t let yourself suffer.”
“Your brother will wait for you to return.”
Only then did Su Jinse turn around.
Just as Huamei was about to help her onto the carriage, a graceful figure arrived late, perfectly timing her entrance.
It was Su Lingwei.
Today she wore a lotus-colored cloud brocade dress, the hem embroidered with large peonies and winding vines. It made her already outstanding beauty appear even more radiant.
She walked forward gracefully and stopped in front of Su Jinse, holding an exquisite rosewood food box in her hand.
“Third Sister, the journey will be long and bumpy. I was worried you might go hungry on the road, so I specially prepared some pastries you usually like.”
Her voice was gentle as water, and her eyes held the perfect amount of concern and reluctance.
She portrayed the image of a caring elder sister perfectly.
The surrounding servants all showed traces of admiration and emotion.
Su Jinse did not take the food box.
She slowly raised her head.
Her gaze first fell on the finely carved food box, then gradually moved from it to Su Lingwei’s slender jade-like hands, carefully maintained and painted with bright red nail dye.
Then, under the astonished gazes of everyone present, she gathered all her strength. Her lips trembled slightly as she forced three words out of her throat, one by one.
“Afraid… it’s poisoned.”
The voice was not loud and even somewhat unclear.
Yet it exploded like thunder in the silent air.
The flawless gentle mask on Su Lingwei’s face instantly cracked into something twisted.
Her face first turned pale in an instant, then flushed bright red.
She had never imagined that the fool she had controlled for sixteen years would dare contradict her like this in front of the servants.
The servants’ gazes instantly became subtle.
Curious. Suspicious. Even faintly entertained.
“What nonsense are you saying!”
Su Lingwei suppressed the anger that was nearly out of control, her voice suddenly rising, sharp and piercing.
“You don’t know how to appreciate kindness!”
Su Jinse did not look at her again.
That single moment of eye contact had already exhausted all the strength she had at the moment.
Supported by Huamei, she turned and boarded the crude carriage.
Bang.
The curtain fell, cutting off the sight of Su Lingwei’s face twisted with anger.
The carriage slowly began to move, leaving behind her humiliating expression—and the entire Jing’an Marquis Residence.
Su Lingwei froze in place, still holding the food box. Her fingers tightened until they turned pale, as if she might crush the solid rosewood in her hand.
Inside the carriage, the space was cramped and the air heavy.
The carriage creaked loudly, each bump making it seem as if it might fall apart.
Huamei’s nagging voice inside the carriage was even more annoying than the sound of the wheels.
“Miss, what you did just now was really… That was the eldest miss! She personally brought you a food box. How could you say something like that in front of so many people…”
In her opinion, her young mistress had been far too impulsive today—almost as if she had gone mad.
After offending Su Lingwei, would life in Qingxu Temple still be good?
Leaning against the wall of the carriage, Su Jinse kept her eyes closed, ignoring Huamei’s complaints.
Only when Huamei had talked so much that her throat became dry and her voice began to sound tearful did Su Jinse slowly open her eyes.
“Shut… up.”
Her voice was light, yet carried a coldness that allowed no doubt. Huamei instantly fell silent, her body stiffening.
Speaking earlier had nearly exhausted all the strength she had gathered.
Now her throat burned, and her limbs felt weak. This body, worn down for many years, was still far too frail.
She quietly slipped her hand into her wide sleeve, her fingertips touching several small, hard, round objects.
They were basil seeds she had repeatedly nourished with her wood ability.
They were the foundation of her future survival.
With a thought, a faint yet pure stream of life energy flowed from the seeds through her fingertips and slowly entered her meridians.
Her dried-up body felt like land nourished by spring rain. The burning pain gradually faded, and her strength slowly returned.
The carriage left the city gates, and the road became even rougher.
Su Jinse lifted a corner of the curtain and cast one last glance at the towering outline of the capital.
Goodbye, Yong’an Marquis Residence.
The carriage continued north along the official road outside the city, but its speed gradually slowed.
Ahead, a solemn escort blocked the road.
Although it was a procession for someone being demoted and leaving the capital, the strict formation and the cold killing aura emanating from the guards revealed that the person inside the carriage was no ordinary figure.
“What bad luck!”
Huamei lifted the curtain to look outside and immediately complained with displeasure.
“Miss, guess who’s inside? You’ll be shocked when you hear it!”
“It’s Prince Jing—Xiao Jue!”
Huamei’s eyes sparkled with gossip.
“The legendary young war god who never loses a battle! They say this time he failed his mission and angered His Majesty terribly. His military power was stripped away, and he’s been sent to his fief!”
She clicked her tongue, sounding both regretful and excited by the gossip.
“Everyone says his achievements overshadowed the ruler, and the emperor couldn’t tolerate him anymore. Back then he was so glorious—every girl in the capital secretly admired him. But now… well, he’s not much different from a stray dog.”
Su Jinse had no interest in the outside commotion.
She was resting with her eyes closed, carefully sensing the faint movement of her ability within her body.
Suddenly, an extreme chill—cold enough to freeze the marrow—struck without warning.
Her eyes snapped open.
At that moment, a gust of wind happened to pass.
In the opposing convoy, a carriage that looked like a prison carriage yet was crafted from expensive rosewood had its heavy curtain lifted slightly.
In that brief glance, a face as handsome as a god yet cold as ice entered her sight.
It was an extremely young man.
His black hair was tied high, his features deep and sharp. His nose bridge was straight like a mountain ridge, and his thin lips were pressed into a cold line.
Most striking were his eyes.
Those deep eyes, like a frozen abyss, cut through the noisy crowd like a blade with its own will. With scrutiny and curiosity, they pierced precisely toward the carriage where Su Jinse sat.
At the instant their eyes met—
Su Jinse felt the wood ability within her body tremble in an extremely unusual way.
It was the kind of reaction that appeared only when encountering either one of the same kind…
or a natural enemy.