5
Even after settling into the carriage, Yu Shu couldn’t stop thinking about what Mu Liangzhe had said earlier. He mentioned that Lian Sheng would be lashed fifty times after escorting her to the Daxia Dynasty. What did that mean? Shouldn’t Lian Sheng receive a reward for completing such an important mission? Why would he be punished instead?
The question lingered in her mind, gnawing at her curiosity. She wanted to ask someone but hadn’t found the right opportunity until their caravan stopped at a relay station for the night.
“The accommodations at the station are rather modest. Please bear with it for just one night, Princess,” Qingli said, as she replaced the bedding with fresh linens and ordered the room to be thoroughly cleaned. Only after making sure everything was in order did she help Yu Shu sit down by the table.
The room was small, barely a fraction of the size of the chambers Yu Shu used to live in. Yet, this was the best room the relay station had to offer.
“It’s fine. I’m not picky when traveling,” Yu Shu replied nonchalantly, lifting the teacup on the table to take a sip.
In truth, Yu Shu hadn’t always been so easygoing. There was a time when she would have turned her nose up at a place as plain as this. But after experiencing the fall of her kingdom, her own death, reincarnation, and now being forced into a political marriage, her perspective had shifted drastically. Where she stayed no longer mattered. Whether it was a lavish palace or a humble guest room, all she truly needed was a bed—because no matter how extravagant the surroundings, they were meaningless if one couldn’t survive. Staying alive was the only thing that truly mattered now.
The room was too cramped for Yu Shu to tolerate having too many people bustling around. She dismissed all the attendants except Qingli, who remained to assist her.
She had dinner in her room. The servants brought a simple meal: one meat dish, one vegetable dish, and a soup. It wasn’t extravagant, but it was enough to satisfy her.
After finishing her meal, Yu Shu felt the room had grown stuffy, and her stomach was a little too full. She decided to take a walk outside and brought Qingli along with her.
She hadn’t planned to walk far, just a casual stroll from the second floor of the relay station to the courtyard behind it to digest her meal.
“Ninth Princess.”
As Yu Shu descended the stairs, she bumped into Lian Sheng.
He stood at the base of the staircase, sword in hand, as though preparing for a patrol. He greeted her with a bow, his tall and upright figure illuminated by the flickering candlelight. He looked poised and composed, his features strikingly handsome and his demeanor sharp and capable.
Yu Shu initially didn’t want to acknowledge him. She was still angry with him—after all, wasn’t he the one who betrayed her? Without a word, she walked right past him.
But after a few steps, Mu Liangzhe’s words about the fifty lashes came back to her. She stopped in her tracks, hesitated for a moment, then turned around and walked back.
“Lian Sheng,” she called out.
Lian Sheng had already reached the door. Hearing her voice, he stopped and turned back. With a respectful bow, he said, “What does the princess wish to command?”
That response only fueled her anger further. Her face darkened as she strode closer, her sharp black eyes fixing on him. “Since when did things between us become so distant and formal?”
Lian Sheng lowered his head in silence, offering no reply.
Seeing his lack of response, Yu Shu took another step forward, closing the gap between them. Her tone was accusatory as she demanded, “When we set out, Third Brother mentioned you’d receive fifty lashes upon returning. What does he mean by that?”
“That’s because…” Lian Sheng’s lips moved slightly, but before he could finish, Yu Shu cut him off, stepping in decisively. “I want the truth—don’t you dare lie to me!”
Her commanding presence was undeniable, her piercing gaze locking onto him. Lian Sheng couldn’t meet her eyes and instinctively took a half step back.
“I made a mistake,” Lian Sheng admitted, guilt etched across his face.
“Lian Sheng!” Yu Shu raised her voice, her frustration mounting.
“Stop pressuring him—I’ll explain.” Mu Liangzhe’s voice rang out from behind her, startling Yu Shu. She hadn’t noticed when he’d appeared. His lips curled into a mocking smirk as he leisurely continued, “The hundred lashes are his punishment for helping you escape. You really made a mess for him. Father said if he personally escorted you to the marriage alliance and completed the mission, the punishment would be reduced to fifty lashes. The remaining fifty will be dealt with once he returns.”
“A hundred lashes?” Yu Shu felt a jolt of pain just hearing the number.
“That’s right—one hundred lashes,” Mu Liangzhe said, tilting his head as he looked at her. “Enough to beat him to death. Now, do you think it was worth it?”
A sudden thought struck Yu Shu, and she turned to Lian Sheng. “So, you didn’t betray me that day?”
“Of course, he didn’t betray you, my dear sister,” Mu Liangzhe interjected with an amused chuckle. “The only one to blame is you. You were so obvious and careless that anyone could have figured it out!”
“Go to hell, you jerk!” Yu Shu was furious at his mocking tone. Even now, he couldn’t resist teasing her. Enraged, she lashed out and kicked him.
Mu Liangzhe nimbly dodged her kick, raising an eyebrow with a smug smile. “I’ll let this one slide, but you’d better be careful next time,” he called over his shoulder as he swaggered away.
Watching him walk off with such confidence, Yu Shu had the urge to chase him down and kick him again.
“Lian Sheng,” she said, her voice filled with guilt as she turned to face him. “I’m sorry. I’ve dragged you into this.”
“It’s fine. There’s no need for you to feel guilty, Princess.” Lian Sheng gave her a warm smile, showing no signs of being bothered by it.
“If you hadn’t helped me escape, you wouldn’t have been punished,” Yu Shu said, her heart heavy with regret. She felt responsible for his suffering.
“I helped because I wanted to. The punishment isn’t a big deal,” Lian Sheng replied with a carefree attitude. “The only real issue was that I couldn’t help you in the end.”
He genuinely wanted to assist Yu Shu, but in the end, he had failed. That left him feeling powerless, knowing his own abilities were too limited.
As for the lashes, he had no regrets. If he had to do it all over again, he would still help her escape without hesitation, even if it meant getting caught by Mu Liangzhe. He wouldn’t change a thing.
Yu Shu was deeply touched. “Thank you,” she said sincerely.
It was rare for someone to have a friend like Lian Sheng, who would go so far for her, even at great personal cost. He had helped her because he truly valued the original Yu Shu, and she was grateful for him.
But in the end, she still caused him to be punished, and for a moment, standing before him, she felt overwhelmed with guilt. She couldn’t bring herself to face him any longer and, ashamed, turned away and ran off.
Lian Sheng watched her run off, standing still in the same spot for a long time, unmoving.
The night was deep, the sky a heavy, dark expanse, thick as unyielding ink. The moon was hidden behind clouds, with no light breaking through.
Perhaps the bed at the inn was too hard, but Yu Shu couldn’t sleep, no matter how much she tried. Lying there, her eyes wide open, she stared blankly at the ceiling.
Unable to fall asleep, Yu Shu sat up, pushed the blanket aside, and got out of bed. She put on her clothes and walked over to the window. Opening it slightly, she gazed into the dark night outside.
The night was thick and oppressive, with shadows lurking everywhere, as if countless demons and monsters were hiding, ready to leap out with a shriek.
A cool breeze blew in, chilling her skin. She shivered and pulled her clothes tighter around her.
In the courtyard below, there was movement. Yu Shu focused her gaze and saw the patrolling guards.
She let out a quiet sigh of relief and turned to leave. But just then, something caught her eye—a figure standing under the pomegranate tree. He was hidden in the shadow, hard to spot. Had Yu Shu not been standing in the right position, she would never have noticed him.
The figure was tall and upright, his form obscured by the tree, but Yu Shu immediately recognized him—Lian Sheng, who had always been there for her.
Lian Sheng had been standing by the pomegranate tree all night, a spot where he could easily see the room on the second floor. Through the open window, he could catch occasional glimpses of the people inside, while remaining nearly invisible himself.
At that moment, their eyes met. Yu Shu was on the second floor, Lian Sheng on the ground below. Neither of them spoke, but they exchanged a thousand unspoken words in the silence, their gazes locked in mutual understanding.
The night breeze gently swept through, the leaves rustling softly as if whispering some secret.
Yu Shu suddenly realized what she was doing. With a sharp snap, she slammed the window shut and hurried back to the bed, wrapping herself tightly in the blanket. She closed her eyes, forcing herself to sleep.
That night, she lay in bed for a long time before finally drifting off. In her dreams, she was plagued by chaotic faces—sometimes Xiao Jingyao, sometimes Lian Sheng—each disturbing her peace, and she woke before dawn, unable to rest.
After breakfast the next morning, the envoy’s team began their journey to the Daxia Dynasty.
In the following days, Yu Shu couldn’t tell whether Lian Sheng was intentionally avoiding her or if he was simply busy, but she hadn’t seen him since. Even during the night watches, it was someone else guarding the area, not him.
After four or five days, the envoy’s team finally reached the border of Xijiang. The next day, they would leave Xijiang and step onto the land of the Daxia Dynasty.
In the evening, Mu Liangzhe ordered the team to stop and set up camp for the night.
A delicate, pale hand lifted the curtain of the carriage. Yu Shu, with Qingli’s help, stepped down.
Mu Liangzhe walked over, his dark eyes assessing Yu Shu with a smile. “I see there’s a river nearby. Would you like to take a walk with me?”
Yu Shu tilted her head, giving him a sideways glance. “Aren’t you afraid I’ll run away?”
For the past few days, Mu Liangzhe’s men had been closely guarding Yu Shu, leaving her no opportunity to escape. Now that Mu Liangzhe was inviting her to take a walk, she was certain his intentions weren’t good.
Mu Liangzhe chuckled and shrugged. “Even if I let you run, you wouldn’t get far.”
Such arrogance! Yu Shu shot him a sidelong glance and started walking ahead.
Mu Liangzhe laughed lightly behind her and quickly caught up. “Tomorrow, we’ll be in the Daxia Dynasty. I wanted you to take one last good look at our Xijiang.”
Yu Shu stopped in her tracks, and her eyes suddenly stung with tears. She felt it wasn’t just her own emotions she was dealing with, but the lingering attachment to Xijiang from her original self.
Mu Liangzhe stood by her side, gazing at the lush mountains, the clear waters, the white clouds, and the setting sun. “Xiao Jiu, Xijiang is a beautiful place. This is our home, and we must all work hard to protect it.”
A tear slipped uncontrollably from Yu Shu’s eye. Once, she had tried so hard to protect her own home…
As the last rays of the setting sun fell behind the horizon, Lian Sheng appeared, carrying two fish he had caught from the river. It had been many days since Yu Shu had seen him, and he looked slightly thinner.
“I caught two fish. Third Prince, Ninth Princess, would you like to join me for grilled fish?”
Mu Liangzhe nodded. “Alright, go ahead and grill them.”
Lian Sheng took the fish and walked to the side to start preparing them.
Mu Liangzhe glanced at Yu Shu, a smile curving on his lips. “Two fish won’t be enough. I’ll go catch a few more. Once you’re in the Daxia Dynasty, you won’t get to eat Xijiang’s fish anymore.”
With that, he quickly ran off to catch more fish.
Yu Shu stood there for a moment, watching Mu Liangzhe run off and then turning her gaze to Lian Sheng, who was by the fire grilling the fish. She walked over to him.
**