Grand Preceptor Xiao Ruochen’s health had already recovered completely. Yet somehow, through unknown means and careful maneuvering within the palace, he managed to secure another imperial decree.
The decree stated that although the Grand Preceptor had escaped death, his body still required a long-term recovery regimen. To spare Miss Qin Muxi the burden of constantly traveling back and forth, she was officially ordered to remain at the Grand Preceptor Manor for an entire year while overseeing his treatment.
Qin Man mentally cursed that narcissistic, beautiful demon all over again.
Still, since the matter had already been decided, she accepted reality and focused on her own goals.
She continued checking Xiao Ruochen’s pulse daily and prescribed gentle restorative tonics to maintain his health.
One afternoon, Xiao Ruochen returned from a private audience with the Emperor.
His brows were tightly furrowed.
Several times, his gaze lingered on Qin Man, his expression unusually complicated.
“Has something happened in court?” Qin Man asked immediately, noticing the subtle shift in his mood. “And does it have something to do with me?”
“Have you been in contact with Mo Xuan?” Xiao Ruochen asked instead.
“Prince Mo Xuan assisted me when I was treating your poison at the banquet,” Qin Man answered honestly. “Other than that, we haven’t had any significant interactions.”
Xiao Ruochen nodded.
“Although the Ministry of Justice has yet to identify the mastermind behind the assassination attempt, they have confirmed that the assassins were from the Kingdom of Yayao.”
He paused briefly.
“As a result, His Majesty has decided to send the Fifth Princess to the Kingdom of Baiyun to negotiate a military alliance.”
“The Fifth Princess?”
Qin Man’s eyes immediately brightened.
Since arriving in this world, she had heard countless stories from Su Li and the other maids about the imperial family.
“Is she the princess who trained in martial arts from childhood and is said to rival famous generals on the battlefield?”
“Mhm.”
Xiao Ruochen looked directly at her.
Something possessive flickered within his eyes.
“The Emperor has appointed both Mo Xuan and me to accompany the diplomatic mission.”
He paused deliberately.
“In addition, twenty of the capital’s most renowned noble ladies will be traveling with the delegation.”
“That sounds wonderful.”
Qin Man’s face lit up instantly.
A diplomatic mission crossing national borders would undoubtedly take months.
Perhaps even a year.
If Xiao Ruochen left the capital for that long, she would finally have unrestricted access to the Imperial Medical Academy Library.
She could search every shelf until she found the ancient medical text that might send her home.
The thought nearly made her smile from ear to ear.
Xiao Ruochen immediately recognized exactly what she was thinking.
Stepping closer, he smiled brilliantly.
“Prince Mo Xuan specifically requested your participation.”
Qin Man’s smile vanished.
“What?”
“He appointed you Chief Female Physician for the expedition.”
Her expression froze completely.
“Why me?!”
“The reasoning is sound,” Xiao Ruochen explained calmly.
“The medical staff assigned to the mission are all men. Since many noblewomen will be traveling, a female physician is more suitable for their care.”
“When do we leave?” Qin Man asked weakly.
She silently prayed the departure date was somewhere in the distant future.
“In five days.”
Xiao Ruochen delivered the fatal blow.
“Preparations are already complete.”
Qin Man nearly exploded.
She mentally cursed Xiao Ruochen.
Then she mentally cursed Mo Xuan.
Then she mentally cursed both of them together.
What kind of absurd fate was this?
Who would drag a supposedly weak, scarred noblewoman onto a dangerous international diplomatic mission?
Five days later, the diplomatic convoy assembled outside the imperial gates.
The delegation was massive.
Prince Mo Xuan led more than twenty elite martial experts.
Grand Preceptor Xiao Ruochen oversaw the diplomatic and administrative division.
The Fifth Princess commanded her own attendants along with twenty carefully selected noble ladies.
Behind them followed maids, matrons, cooks, servants, guards, and physicians from the Imperial Medical Academy.
Outside the city walls, the Fifth Princess completed her farewell ceremony with the Emperor and Empress.
The ceremonial horns sounded.
The convoy departed.
Their destination lay far beyond the borders of Nantang.
The Fifth Princess, Mo Yueyao, was a striking figure.
She wore crimson riding clothes beneath gleaming silver armor.
Her long black hair was tied into a high ponytail.
Not only was she highly skilled in martial arts, she was also famous throughout the kingdom for her intelligence and courage.
Everyone knew this mission would be dangerous.
The Kingdom of Yayao would almost certainly attempt to sabotage any alliance between Nantang and Baiyun.
As a result, every guard assigned to the princess’s protection was an elite expert.
The convoy moved steadily forward.
Officials and noblewomen traveled inside reinforced carriages.
Military personnel rode on horseback.
Prince Mo Xuan led the advance force.
As always, Xiao Ruochen maintained the image of a refined scholar.
No one would ever guess that he possessed terrifying martial abilities.
He traveled with Xiao Mu.
Meanwhile, Qin Man shared a spacious carriage with Su Li and Xiao Ya.
Unlike the other noble ladies, who kept their curtains tightly shut to protect their appearance from dust and sunlight, Qin Man threw hers completely open.
She loved scenery.
The rolling mountains of Nantang stretched endlessly beneath the autumn sky.
Cool winds drifted through the carriage.
Golden leaves danced across the landscape.
Her irritation gradually disappeared.
Thinking about it carefully, she had not enjoyed a proper vacation in years.
Who else could claim to be taking a cross-dimensional sightseeing tour through an ancient kingdom?
The only unfortunate detail was that she still hadn’t found a way home.
As she admired the scenery, her curiosity suddenly awakened.
“Come on,” Qin Man said. “Tell me. What interesting gossip have you heard lately?”
Su Li immediately looked hesitant.
Xiao Ya, however, practically bounced with excitement.
“Miss, do you know who the twenty noble ladies are?”
“I never checked.”
Qin Man shrugged.
“I just assumed they’re all acquaintances of Prince Mo Xuan.”
Xiao Ya nearly choked.
“It’s much more shocking than that!”
She leaned forward.
“Miss Murong is among them!”
Qin Man raised an eyebrow.
“Murong Xue?”
“Exactly! And every woman traveling with us comes from an influential noble family.”
Qin Man immediately began analyzing the situation.
Why would the Emperor send twenty beautiful, talented noble daughters on a diplomatic mission?
A ridiculous thought entered her mind.
Surely they weren’t planning to charm the King of Baiyun?
The image was so absurd that she burst out laughing.
Su Li stared at her in disbelief.
“Miss! How can you laugh?”
“Why not?”
“Do you know what people are saying about you?”
Qin Man looked intrigued.
“Go on.”
Su Li looked offended on her behalf.
“They’re calling you ‘the ugliest woman on the continent traveling alongside twenty celestial beauties.'”
Qin Man laughed even harder.
“Miss!” Su Li protested. “Why won’t you reveal that your scar is completely gone? You’re far more beautiful than any of them!”
“And then what?”
Qin Man asked calmly.
“The moment people discover that, they’ll add me to the list.”
She pointed toward the surrounding carriages.
“Then I’ll have to spend all my time avoiding attention from some elderly foreign king.”
The logic was flawless.
Su Li stared at her in admiration.
Her mistress truly thought several steps ahead of everyone else.
After a moment, Qin Man’s expression turned thoughtful.
“Still, Murong Xue’s presence is strange.”
“The Chancellor’s family has enormous influence.”
“Why would she volunteer for this mission?”
Xiao Ya immediately perked up.
“I know the answer!”
She lowered her voice dramatically.
“I heard she personally requested permission to join.”
“And?”
“The servants say she’s secretly in love with Grand Preceptor Xiao.”
“She only joined because she wanted to travel with him.”
Qin Man shot her a look.
“Since when did he become ‘our Grand Preceptor’?”
Xiao Ya squealed and immediately hid behind Su Li.
The carriage filled with laughter.
The three women chatted happily throughout the journey, turning the long road ahead into something far more enjoyable.
Not far behind them, Xiao Ruochen sat quietly inside his carriage.
As Qin Man’s bright laughter drifted through the autumn air, the cold expression on his face gradually softened.
A faint smile appeared at the corners of his lips.
A smile so gentle that few people in the world would have believed it existed.