Chapter 140 Arrogance Abounds (Part Two) The hairpin fell, and her thick black hair flowed down...

Wei Yuanzhan bought several sets of ready-made clothes on Yanmen Street. After Zhi Rou finished writing the letter, he slightly raised his chin towards the screen and asked, "Would you like to try them on?"

The clothes she's wearing now don't fit properly.

Zhi Rou's eyes curved slightly: "Then go outside and wait for me."

After changing the clothes, she opened the door and came out, her smiling face bathed in the glow of the sunset. She praised Wei Yuanzhan, saying, "Your taste is truly excellent."

Even with an injury on her arm, she still moved with great grace. The moment Wei Yuanzhan's gaze lingered on her, an unconscious smile crept onto his lips.

He looked at Zhi Rou for a moment, then went into the house and said to her, "Come and sit down."

Zhi Rou walked over with a puzzled look, and stood in front of the bronze mirror. He gently pressed her shoulder and made her sit down. A moment later, her hairpin fell off, and her thick black hair flowed down to her chest.

Her heart pounded, and her body suddenly stiffened.

Wei Yuanzhan swept her hair into his palm, picked up the ebony comb from the table, and began to comb it from the ends.

It was the first time he had ever combed someone's hair, and he did it with utmost seriousness, as if nothing in the world could interrupt him.

As the comb moved through her teeth, Zhi Rou's fluctuating emotions slowly calmed down. She heard him say, "The Wanyuan Merchant Guild seems unaware of the whereabouts of the people from last night, and they are still acting arrogantly. Tomorrow, you will disguise yourself as their bodyguard."

She responded somewhat slowly, "Okay..." She clenched her fingertips to suppress the tingling sensation caused by Wei Yuanzhan, and added, "You can make the eyebrows thicker."

Wei Yuanzhan glanced at her reflection in the bronze mirror, and smiled in agreement: "Add two more layers of soles. The people on either side of me will all be tall."

Hearing this, she raised an eyebrow and her supple shoulders straightened almost imperceptibly: "I'm not bad either."

After a moment, her thoughts drifted elsewhere. "Pei Cheng and the others don't recognize my handwriting, and I don't know if they can change their minds and follow me as I wish."

Wei Yuanzhan said, "Pei Cheng knows Lan Ye, he is my man, and I... I will not harm you, nor will I harm them, so why doesn't Pei Cheng believe me?"

They might be skeptical of her explanation that she was staying at her friend's house, but they could probably guess that Zhi Rou had something she didn't want them to know. Right now, sending them to meet her outside the city to get this rare news would likely require them to run there.

After studying it for a while, Wei Yuanzhan seemed to finally know how to proceed. He piled her hair up high into a bun and secured it with a hairpin.

“Alright,” the hand on Zhi Rou’s shoulder tightened slightly, making her turn around, “Let me see.”

The sunlight outside the window gradually thinned, and the two of them faced each other. Zhi Rou clearly sensed a hint of a smile in his downcast gaze. He said, as if quite pleased with himself, "Not bad."

Zhi Rou turned around and hugged the mirror.

Wei Yuanzhan swept his arm across the mirror, which immediately fell back down. He then turned the person back and looked down at her: "You don't trust my skills?"

There was a hint of skepticism in his words.

Zhi Rou raised an eyebrow with ease: "What skills do you have?"

The room fell silent, and Wei Yuanzhan's Adam's apple bobbed slightly as she stared directly into his glassy eyes.

After a moment, he gently stroked her neck with his fingertips, his voice lowering as he asked, "Are you all better now?"

Zhi Rou was stunned for a moment, then realized he was talking about "accidentally eating" it. She felt both embarrassed and guilty, and gently pulled away from him.

"I'm fine now." She sat up and walked to the window. "I promised Su Du that I would go back to the capital with him. I need to tell him about leaving the city tomorrow."

Wei Yuanzhan composed himself and said, "I'll go."

"You guys... are you alright?"

I remember back at the Millet Pavilion, the two of them were quite at odds. Seeing that Su Du's men were all gathered in this courtyard, Zhi Rou was initially surprised.

“He is skilled in martial arts, and his men are even more exceptionally capable. With him by my side, Changhuai and Lanye can rest. Why wouldn’t I accept such easy protection?”

He spoke in a grand and dignified manner, but Zhi Rou simply smiled, the warm glow of the sunset painting her face a rosy hue.

"Once we arrive at the inn, will you set off back to the capital?" she asked tentatively.

Having lingered in Qinyang for many days without returning, she feared that the capital would become suspicious. Even with her excellent health, she would still need several days before she could ride a horse again.

Wei Yuanzhan remained silent for a while before replying, "Alright."

Although it was expected, she still began to feel reluctant to part with it.

Her bright gaze lingered on him for a moment, then she suddenly smiled brightly, and as she passed by him, she squeezed his fingertips: "Come with me."

It was past dinner time, and everyone was resting inside, leaving only Changhuai to guard the front yard, while the stables were empty.

Zhi Rou walked slowly and deliberately, without looking around, as if she were in her own old home.

Wei Yuanzhan stared at her retreating figure with suspicion: "You're going to ride a horse?"

Zhi Rou didn't answer him. Instead, she walked to a crabapple tree and took down a bamboo flute. "When I was waiting for you this afternoon, I saw a few chopped bamboo sections in the woodshed. I picked one and made it into a flute."

Wei Yuanzhan raised an eyebrow, his gaze lingering on her arm. After a short while, he asked, "Why are you hiding here?"

"What do you mean by 'hidden'?" She curled her lips into a smile. "It is something I took from this house, so I will return it here."

When the flute came into her hands, she treated it like a longsword, casually twirling it a few times. Perhaps in a good mood, she stopped, leaned against a tree trunk, and held the bamboo flute to her lips.

Soon after, music drifted out.

A hint of surprise flashed in Wei Yuanzhan's eyes.

She had little experience with music before, and was rarely seen playing anything. This musical skill must be something she learned recently in the past three years.

After his initial surprise, a proud smile appeared on his face.

Hearing the faint sound of a flute outside, Su Du paused in wiping his knife and put the silk cloth aside.

This is a long-standing tune in Beili, originally sung by shepherds. Later, the melody was gradually changed, and it became a song for young men to express their love to their beloved girls. On the grasslands, bone flutes are often used, producing a thin yet bright sound that seems to come from afar, conveying deep emotions.

The only person in this place who can play this piece is her...

Su turned to look at the magnificent twilight outside the window, a mix of emotions welling up inside her.

After the song ended, Zhi Rou straightened up and left the tree trunk. Her light tone seemed to carry a hint of regret: "This song is best listened to under the moon."

Wei Yuanzhan's gaze followed her, and only when she approached did he ask, "What's the name of this piece of music?"

Zhi Rou pushed the bamboo flute against him, looked at him slyly for a moment, and gave him a meaningful smile, but refused to answer: "I forgot."

I will leave the city tomorrow, but I know that Rou has no luggage to pack.

At night, she leaned against the couch and took off half of her robe.

She shouldn't have exerted herself, and the wound started bleeding again. Zhi Rou gritted her teeth slightly, washed away the scab herself, applied medicine, and then hastily went to sleep fully clothed.

The next day, they left the city without encountering any obstacles. They had traveled less than a few miles when Pei Cheng and the others caught up with them.

Since his marriage, Ling Zifu had never seen Su Du again. He only received a message from him this morning that he had left without even having a chance to say goodbye.

"Heartless lad," he sighed, muttering to himself in the firelight.

Inside an inn outside the city.

Su covered his mouth and coughed, washed his face, fastened his sword, and walked out of the room.

Those who knew Zhi Rou had already introduced him as the Second Young Master Feng, but for some reason, Chu Lan and his group still treated him with a degree of wariness.

He didn't seem to care much, and still strolled to Zhi Rou's room without any hesitation, reaching out to knock on the door.

Zhi Rou had just finished listening to Pei Cheng's report when she seemed to be pondering her mistake in judging the nineteenth prince. She stared at the dry straw under the window, but before she could think further, a knocking sound came from the door.

Zhi Rou opened the door and paused for a moment before asking, "Young Master Feng?"

Yu Guang glanced to the left and right. The second floor of the inn was still quiet, with only Chu Lan holding his sword and guarding the entrance to the long staircase.

Su Du spoke in a low voice, his words concise and to the point: "I feel something is wrong."

She closed the door and turned around to listen to him continue.

After being injured, she never left the mansion again, and had no further contact with the Wanyuan Merchant Guild. However, she had experienced their methods firsthand, and after pondering for a while, she raised her eyebrows and asked, "What are your plans?"

Su turned her head and cast a scrutinizing gaze at Chu Lan, who was not far away in the corridor.

After noon that day, Wei Yuanzhan fed his horse, rested for a while, and then prepared to head to the capital.

The leaves rustled as the wind picked up.

As Zhi Rou emerged from the inn, locust blossoms fluttered and brushed against her robe collar. She called out to Wei Yuanzhan, her smile radiant, "Is there something you forgot to give me?"

He glanced at her hesitantly, then chuckled softly. He took the dagger from his robes and tossed it to her.

Zhi Rou caught it steadily and hung it back around her waist.

As they parted, she had so much to say to him, but it all died in her throat, leaving only her clear eyes fixed on him.

Wei Yuanzhan's heart stirred, and he walked over.

He naturally raised his hand to mid-air, as if to pull her into his arms, but hesitated halfway, and finally placed it on her shoulder, smiling up at her, "I'll be waiting for you in the capital."

Due to the occasion, she didn't dare to make any overly intimate gestures. Zhi Rou smiled in response: "Be careful on your journey."

Wei Yuanzhan nodded, glanced at the sky, slowly withdrew his hand, and glanced at the two people beside him. Chang Huai understood, turned around, untied the reins, and led the horse to the side of the road.

After bidding farewell to Wei Yuanzhan, Miss Song never left the inn again; to be precise, she never stepped out of her room.

Upon hearing that he was ill, his men invited several itinerant doctors from the vicinity, and a pungent smell of medicine permeated the inn as people came and went.

The shopkeeper couple were initially understanding, but after three days, a hint of resentment crept into their words. Su bribed them with money, and another day passed peacefully.

As night fell, the candlelight inside the inn glowed dimly, and rustling voices drifted from downstairs and into the rooms.

Zhi Rou stroked the hilt of the sword beside her, secretly watching. Before long, a blurry shadow stopped outside her door.

Su Du's original intention was to have Chu Lan impersonate her to lure the enemy out. However, Zhi Rou refused, saying she had been cooped up in her room for four days and was almost "dying" from boredom.

Now that her injuries have healed and she has finally been able to see the person who came, Zhi Rou is even a little excited.

The person outside pushed the door open and entered with steady steps, clearly a trained martial artist. Just as he was about to survey his surroundings, a creak was heard, and the hidden rope suddenly sprang up, slamming the door shut.

Hidden weapons rained down on the attacker, but the slender figure swayed, each glint of cold light grazing past him without causing him the slightest harm.

The room was filled with the clanging and banging of metal blocks.

Zhi Rou, unwilling to wait any longer, exerted force on the longsword in her hand, causing the sword light to fly out of its sheath. Just as the person dodged the last hidden weapon, the longsword went straight for the throat.

The paper windows in the room creaked and groaned under the force of the sword energy.

The newcomer's throat bobbed slightly, revealing a woman around thirty years old whose face was illuminated by the blade of a sword.

She could have dodged, but for some reason, she froze in place, even letting her sword-wielding hand drop.

Zhi Rou frowned slightly, her voice cold: "Who sent you?"

The woman slowly retreated, kneeling on one knee beneath the sword's pointing finger. Her words were sincere, containing a hint of emotion that puzzled the woman, as she bowed and said, "Young Mistress!"