Why had she suddenly changed her mind?

Or was she in some kind of trouble?

Wonderful. For him, there was nothing he loved more than solving a beauty’s troubles.

If his vast family wealth wasn’t to be spent on beauties, then what had he studied so hard for? What meaning was there in living?

“Quick… quickly invite my little beauty in… no, I’ll go personally!”

Second Young Master Xue hurriedly put on his shoes, ordered for a horse to be prepared, and nearly galloped all the way toward the gate of the Plum Residence.

As he did so, he happened to pass right by Wu Yan and the others, who were disguised as vegetable vendors entering the fortress.

“It took us such effort to sneak in, and now he’s leaving!”

Chen Yong was greatly alarmed.

Wu Yan thought for a moment: “Not good, hurry and chase!”

By the time the two groups exited the Plum Residence one after the other, there was no trace of the veiled woman at the gate.

The guards said that the man beside the woman had little patience and even scolded her a few times, saying, how could the Second Young Master Xue possibly know her? Surely she had made up a lie because she didn’t want to marry an old man as his concubine.

When Second Young Master Xue heard that the little beauty he yearned for was about to be sent off as a concubine, how could he bear it?

He immediately wanted to rush out himself to give chase.

The servant stopped him, saying: “There must be something strange about this, Second Young Master, do not be hasty. We will chase her and surely bring the beauty back for you!”

Only then did Xue Huaifang halt at the gate, burning with anxiety, and ordered them all to pursue.

When they brought the little beauty back, should he let her stay in the west wing, or the east wing?

Forget it—better to set up another room altogether.

She was different from Yanyan, Shuangshuang, and Ah Ruan.

…This time would surely be different!

Just then, someone patted Xue Huaifang’s shoulder from behind. He turned his head, only to see a pair of eyes black as ink.

The next instant, his nose was filled with a strong, pungent fragrance.

“Second Young Master Xue truly broadens my horizons.”

Pei Zhaoye casually placed his arm around Xue Huaifang’s shoulder. From behind, it looked as though two familiar friends were chatting amiably.

He said: “To be bewitched by the Princess until your senses are all scrambled is understandable—but looking like this, with drool about to spill out, isn’t that a bit too disgusting?”

“Who’s there! What are you doing to the Second Young Master!”

A shout of warning came from behind. Following out of the city, Wu Yan and the others recognized Pei Zhaoye’s back at once, and their hearts began pounding violently.

By now the sun was setting, the sky dim. Pei Zhaoye only turned his head slightly; his face could not be seen clearly.

“Just taking your Second Young Master Xue to a fine place for some wine. What, you all want to come along too?”

The few guards exchanged glances, then quickly lowered their heads and cupped their fists.

“No, no, Second Young Master, please go ahead.”

Pei Zhaoye’s lips curved slightly.

The Yanshan soldiers stared, dumbfounded, watching this man at the gate of the Plum Residence so openly carry the drugged Second Young Master Xue away from the guards’ sight.

Lizhu was also stunned.

“…What did you do to him?”

Once they reached a quiet, deserted spot, Pei Zhaoye threw the man into the woods. While tying him up, he said:

“A filthy little trick often used in brothels—keeps a man from fully losing consciousness, but robs him of all strength to resist. I suppose a lustful demon like him isn’t unfamiliar with it, right, Second Young Master Xue?”

Saliva trickled from Xue Huaifang’s mouth; he had no reaction at all.

Lifting his head, Wu Yan and the others followed behind Pei Zhaoye and arrived.

Glancing at the unconscious Xue Huaifang on the ground, Wu Yan said:

“It’s our Yanshan Army that lost.”

Lizhu smiled and said: “In that case, it’s two to two—an even match. Let me think, for the final round we should…”

“The outcome’s already decided.”

Lizhu was slightly surprised.

“The Yanshan hunt—at that time the Hongye Army was busy eradicating Li Da’s remaining forces, so that doesn’t count as a loss. The Yanshan Army won only by relying on the terrain, so that can’t count as a true victory either. That round should be annulled.”

In truth, the two sides should have been one win and one loss each.

Wu Yan had originally thought that if they could win one more round today, the Hongye Army would have no further objections.

Who would have expected Pei Zhaoye to come up with something so unorthodox—not entering the Plum Residence, but instead luring the Second Young Master Xue out and capturing him, winning the match swiftly and cleanly.

In warfare, what was required was not only bravery, but also strategy, and the composure to remain unshaken in changing situations.

Just now, when he saw him stopped by the guards yet remaining perfectly calm, Wu Yan had to admit that, as the commander of the refugee army, none could be more fitting than Pei Zhaoye.

Chen Yong seemed to want to speak, but Wu Yan stopped him and said to Lizhu:

“Your Highness’s care toward the Yanshan Army these days, everyone has seen it. That is enough. Who serves as commander of the refugee army doesn’t matter. What matters most is that everyone survives in this world.”

All the fighting and contention, stripped bare, were only for the word “to live.”

“Do you all have anything else to say?”

Wu Yan asked the Yanshan soldiers.

After a long silence, Chen Yong asked: “…Just one question. Since we lost, will we get that cloth shoe back?”

“Yes! Of course!”

Lizhu patted his shoulder and smiled:

“These past few days’ contests were only to decide the commander of the refugee army. From now on, within the army, there will be no distinction between Yanshan or Hongye. The forces will be reorganized, the troops retrained—regardless of origin, only merit in battle will matter!”

•—–٠✤٠—–•

By the time night had fully fallen, Chang Jun and Danzhu, who had changed back into their own clothes, returned to the post station.

Lizhu, smiling brightly, handed each of them a steaming parcel of lotus-leaf sticky rice chicken.

Chang Jun thanked the Princess, and while eating, said:

“…We managed to shake off the Xue clan’s people in the northern part of the city, don’t worry, there’s absolutely no tail following us. That Second Young Master Xue, where is he now?”

Steam rose in thick waves as Xuan Ying smiled and poured tea for the two of them.

“General Pei and Deputy Wu took him along. Said they were going to find a prominent spot and hang him up there in the dead of night… the two of them walked side by side with their arms around each other, chatting excitedly like seven- or eight-year-old children.”

Danzhu, who hadn’t been able to join, had her face full of regret.

Just as they were speaking, Lizhu lifted her head and saw several men carrying a large chest inside. Among them were Pei Zhaoye and Wu Yan, who had apparently helped the deliverymen at the door.

The delivery man smiled and thanked them:

“Many thanks to you two gentlemen for lending a hand—if not for your help, it would’ve been really hard for me alone to carry something this heavy in.”

Wu Yan, as usual, said little and merely nodded slightly.

Pei Zhaoye, noticing that the chest was being delivered into the post station, clapped the dust off his hands and asked casually:

“Is that a delivery for the post station?”

“No, it’s for one of the guests staying here—”

The delivery man glanced at the tall, broad-shouldered, narrow-waisted young man and asked: “You’re guests here too, aren’t you?”

Pei Zhaoye folded his arms across his chest, his expression indifferent, and nodded slightly before saying: “Shouldn’t be ours. Ask around with the others.”

Supplies for the Yanshan Army would only be sent directly to Yanshan—it was impossible that such a small chest contained anything for them.

The delivery man still looked him up and down suspiciously.

By then, Lizhu had already guessed what it was. She had just stood up, about to take it, when she heard the man say:

“The shopkeeper said the things inside this chest were sent by a Lady Shen for her husband—are you Lady Shen Lizhu’s husband?”

Halfway up the stairs, Wu Yan suddenly felt the atmosphere in the hall freeze.

He turned his head and saw that everyone had fallen silent. Only the delivery man spoke again, repeating to Pei Zhaoye:

“You’re not Shen Lizhu’s husband?”

Pei Zhaoye stood where he was, not speaking. Instead, his gaze shifted slightly—he glanced toward the girl standing to his right.

Lizhu’s apricot eyes widened, her lips slightly parted, motionless.

…So that’s what the shopkeeper meant when he asked who the purchase was for!

How was she supposed to know!

She’d never bought anything from a shop herself before—she thought the shopkeeper was just making casual conversation!

Gu Bing’an and the others all lowered their heads, secretly laughing.

Seeing Pei Zhaoye remain silent for so long, the delivery man felt puzzled and muttered:

“Either you are or you aren’t, why aren’t you saying anything…”

After saying that, he turned toward Wu Yan on the stairs and asked:

“Are you—?”

“I’m not.”

Wu Yan answered firmly.

The man had no choice but to raise his voice and shout up the stairs:

“Shen Lizhu’s husband—Shen Lizhu’s husband, are you here—”

“Just leave it there,” the post station’s accountant poked his head out from the back, “I’ll bring up the hot water later and ask each room one by one.”

“Alright, alright.”

Xuan Ying slowly lifted her head and smiled toward Wu Yan on the stairs.

“Deputy Wu, is there still something you haven’t done?”

Wu Yan glanced at the Princess, who for some reason had buried her face down on the table.

“…No.”

But something didn’t feel right.

He went upstairs and closed the door.

Lizhu’s earlobes, red enough to drip blood, finally lifted from the table.

The next moment, she heard someone speak with a hint of laughter in his voice:

“Ask again.”

The delivery man, who had just set the chest aside, turned in confusion—only to catch the string of coins tossed to him.

“The question you asked earlier. Ask it again.”

…What did that mean?

Feeling it absurd, he tried cautiously: “Are you… Shen Lizhu’s husband?”

Pei Zhaoye bent down and lifted the large chest they had all helped carry inside earlier.

His brows and eyes curved, a satisfied smile spreading across his face.

“I am.”

With light, unhurried steps, Pei Zhaoye carried the chest upstairs under the silent, speechless gazes of everyone present.