Chapter 87 Year After Year Wild Geese (Nine) He ignored you.

It wasn't that he looked down on the Fourth Miss, but he felt that she had been cunning and shrewd since childhood. Hadn't his master suffered enough setbacks because of her? Getting entangled with her would only lead to losses.

Hearing footsteps, Lan Ye looked inside. Wei Yuanzhan walked out of the courtyard, his thick eyebrows furrowed. His expression was not one of joy, but rather anger or frustration.

Chang Huai didn't dare to speak, but Lan Ye boldly asked, "Did Master and Fourth Miss... have a fight?"

These words were unpleasant to hear. Wei Yuanzhan glanced at him and said, "What's all the noise about?" He lowered his hand from his leather belt, turned around and ordered, "Let them in."

Upon receiving the order, the two waved their hands to signal their colleagues, and soon neat figures could be seen moving back and forth inside and outside the post station.

The journey resumed the next day, and the group moved a little faster. However, due to Huai Xian's eagerness to return to the capital, they were delayed for a day in Lancheng. They intentionally asked the process to be brought back on track.

Wei Yuanzhan rode high on his horse, slightly ahead of the princess's carriage by half a horse's length. He would often turn his head to look at someone, and although it wasn't very obvious, Huai Xian would catch him every time she lifted the curtain.

She remembered that back in the capital, on Wei Yuanzhan's birthday, she had specially sent him a gift, but he had refused it outright, making her lose face in front of the servants. Among all the people in this group, besides Song Zhirou, there was no one else who could be acquainted with Wei Yuanzhan and whom he frequently looked back at.

Huai Xian's thoughts flashed for a moment, and he instructed his servants to invite Miss Song into the carriage, thus completely cutting off Wei Yuanzhan's view.

Zhi Rou hadn't wanted to hike in the first place; the roads were difficult in winter, and she'd already felt exhausted from the journey from the grasslands. When Huai Xian told her to come, she didn't hesitate. After all, her relationship with Huai Xian wasn't as strained as it had been initially, so sharing a ride wouldn't be a problem.

The curtains opened and closed, and Zhi Rou bowed as she entered, giving Huai Xian a slight greeting.

She raised her hand: "You may all leave. Miss Song and I have something to discuss." The women obeyed and left.

The carriage was empty. Huai Xian remained silent, his dark eyes fixed on Zhi Rou's face with a hint of inquiry.

Feeling stared at, Zhi Rou's delicate eyebrows furrowed: "What instructions does Your Highness have?"

"My background...did the Empress tell you about it?" Huai Xian didn't look away.

She was going back to the capital. She had to be the daughter of Prince You, otherwise her three years of suffering would have been in vain. As for who her biological father was, she had no intention of knowing. The prince had always treated her with utmost care and consideration. Although she always complained that he was foolish and made her look inferior to the princess next to him, in her heart, she only recognized him as her father.

Zhi Rou's face showed no unusual emotion. Upon hearing this, she stared straight back at Huai Xian, her tone full of incomprehension: "Your Highness is the daughter of Prince You, as everyone knows. Why does Your Highness need to tell me?"

Huai Xian couldn't detect a single flaw in this almost flawless answer. Judging from her expression, she seemed genuinely confused about the meaning of his question, so he felt a little relieved.

“I asked you before, but you never answered. Now that we’ve entered Yan territory, can I know why you abandoned Wurentuya and returned to my camp?”

Huai Xian's voice was soft, more like she was testing something than inquiring. Her shimmering eyes held expectation, but Zhi Rou wouldn't even stoop to lying.

"I took advantage of Your Highness's return to Yan, and Your Highness also took advantage of me to enjoy a comfortable period at the royal court. Now that I'm back in my homeland, does Your Highness intend to settle scores with me?"

As expected, once she left Bei Li, her restraint diminished somewhat, and her words became sharp and unpretentious, still harboring resentment over the old grudge of taking her to the grasslands.

I thought they could become friends.

Huai Xian chuckled inwardly, a mixture of regret and displeasure in her eyes. She tilted her chin and saw the figure on horseback through the curtain. She paused for a moment, then turned back to look at Zhi Rou: "You two are engaged?" Her eyes were full of curiosity.

Zhi Rou raised her eyebrows in surprise and stared at her, but did not say anything.

Without denying it, Huai Xian took it as fact, a disdainful smile playing on her lips: "Everyone says that the Crown Prince Wei is extremely arrogant, and Marquis Wei has cleaned up countless messes for him. Miss Song is so intelligent, how did you come to take a liking to him?"

Huai Xian's impression of Wei Yuanzhan was just as she had heard in the rumors, but she did have some admiration for Zhi Rou. Her words were not entirely meant to provoke, but also contained a degree of kindness.

Zhi Rou couldn't stand others talking about Wei Yuanzhan, and firmly said, "He's a good person."

Huai Xian disagreed: "I think General Su is interested in Miss Song. Even if you and Prince Wei were engaged, three years have passed in the blink of an eye. Who still considers it valid?"

Her words were always gentle and affectionate, which was fine, but the two of them were not the kind of people who could talk about longing and yearning.

Zhi Rou's eyes sharpened as she looked at Huai Xian: "Your Highness, why are you so concerned about me?"

Huai Xian bluntly stated, "Interesting."

She brushed her hair behind her ear. Like Zhi Rou, she was just an eighteen-year-old girl who had been isolated and helpless in a foreign country for too long. Every time she closed her eyes, she had nightmares. Someone as interesting as Zhi Rou was very rare.

Zhi Rou felt that her words were offensive, so she retaliated by saying, "If Your Highness wants to hear interesting anecdotes about Bei Li, I can tell you."

Huai Xian left behind many "handles" in the royal court.

Song Zhirou was not the type to cause trouble or spread rumors about others. Huai Xian knew that she was trying to scare her, but she still shut up, pursed her lips, and muttered to herself: "You arrogant brat."

The two had a disagreement, but Huai Xian didn't ask her to get out of the car and instead continued to enjoy his tea in the carriage.

Zhi Rou closed her eyes to rest, but then, as if thinking of something, her brows furrowed slightly. She turned over and faced the corner of the car.

After passing through the Tianshan Mountains, the convoy rested for a night. Huai Xian suddenly felt unwell, but in order to return to Beijing as soon as possible, he did not let anyone delay him and set off at dawn as usual. Two days later, they finally arrived in Yuyang.

Governor Zhang did not show himself; it was his men who came to greet the princess.

General Gao and Lord Zhao made contact with Yu Yang's men first. The caravan stopped briefly, and Zhi Rou felt as if her bones were about to fall apart from sitting in the carriage. As soon as she got off, she quietly twisted her hands and feet and pressed the back of her neck.

Lifting my eyes again, the sun had turned red, and in the rosy glow, everyone's faces had a delicate, radiant color. The surrounding area consisted not only of rammed earth houses, but also pavilions and towers, resembling a grand mansion in the capital.

Upon seeing this, Zhi Rou couldn't help but think of Su Du.

She wondered where he was now, and hoped he wouldn't frighten her mother... Her heart was filled with worries, and whenever she thought of this, she couldn't wait to return to the capital.

After arriving in Yuyang, Wei Yuanzhan first went with Gao Hongyu to pay their respects to Zhang Jixiao.

In fact, the governor did not disregard Wei Yuanzhan, but seeing his arrogant nature and his subservience to Gao Hongyu, he simply handed him over to Lancheng.

Wei Yuanzhan knew that all his military achievements were due to Zhang Jixiao's help, so when Gao Hongyu told him to bow his head, he did so, much like being dragged out by an elder to visit relatives. He was half rational and half reluctant, and spent a long time at the governor's mansion.

As a result, Zhi Rou did not see Wei Yuanzhan all day.

I saw him the next day.

After taking the medicine prescribed by the imperial physician, Huai Xian was advised to go out for a walk. She passed by Zhi Rou's room, and the door was not closed.

For some reason, Huai Xian looked at her and felt a little unhappy, so he simply ordered his maid to invite Miss Song and drag her outside to bask in the sun.

The New Year is just around the corner, and the city is decorated with all sorts of red items. People are buying livestock to prepare for ancestral worship. Camels are walking on the streets, and the melodious sound of bells can be heard. Zhi Rou walks around and looks at the sights, and she really likes the scenery of Yu Yang.

When they arrived at a shop selling storybooks, Huai Xian stopped, while Zhi Rou stood still, bored, but her eyes wandered around the street.

In the blink of an eye, she caught sight of Wei Yuanzhan.

He rode his horse at a steady pace. Zhi Rou watched from afar. His face was bruised, and his expression was cold, exuding the majesty of a general. The soldiers dared not continue to joke when they saw him, and Lan Ye and Chang Huai followed behind with their heads hanging low.

Zhi Rou raised an eyebrow, puzzled.

Who could have caused him to be injured on the face?

Her gaze traveled several meters before meeting Wei Yuanzhan's eyes. He saw her clearly, his long eyebrows furrowed, his lips pursed, and he turned his horse at the appropriate turn ahead, heading straight for the Lancheng army's camp.

Huai Xian noticed that Zhi Rou's attention was all over the long street, so she glanced at her and saw Wei Yuanzhan about to leave.

Looking back, Zhi Rou's gaze was still fixed on that spot, and she couldn't help but scoff, "Stop looking, he's ignoring you."

In the past, she would always retort, but for some reason, Zhi Rou didn't argue with her today. She lowered her eyelashes, bowed, and said, "This humble woman is unwell and will not accompany Your Highness." Then she turned and left.

Following the direction Wei Yuanzhan left, Zhi Rou continued forward until she reached the place where the Lancheng army had temporarily set up camp.

She didn't go inside, but stood outside, looking inwards. People around her thought she was strange and glanced at her a few more times. The next moment, several fierce-looking soldiers walked towards her, seemingly to drive her away.

Zhi Rou wasn't afraid at all; she was worried that no one would come.

Just as the group reached her, about to ask her a question, Lan Ye's voice suddenly came from behind them: "Hey! What are you doing!"

He chased after them for a few steps, hooked his arm around their shoulder, said a few words, and then led them away.

Then, Lan Ye strolled out and looked awkwardly at Zhi Rou: "Fourth Miss is here to see Master?"

“No, I’m looking for you,” Zhi Rou replied.

"Looking for me..." Lan Ye touched his temple, and soon heard her ask, "What happened to him?"

How could he have a wound on his face after only a day apart? A major general in the army, who wouldn't give him some face?

Lan Ye sighed, a hint of sorrow in his eyes: "It's the mistress..."

Zhi Rou didn't respond immediately, then thought for a moment, raised her eyebrows, and asked, "Sister Wei?"

Lan Ye nodded.

Wei Mingying's daughter, born prematurely to the Crown Prince, was born weak and recently caught a cold, which caused her to die young. Wei Mingying was devastated and did not respond to anyone's calls.

The message was first sent to Lancheng, but upon seeing that Wei Yuanzhan had already resigned, it was then delivered to Yuyang by fast horse.

Wei Yuanzhan received a letter from home this morning, just as Song Qiyu came to see him in a bad mood, and they ran into each other, resulting in a fight.

Zhi Rou remained silent for a long time after hearing this. Her older brother wasn't the type to deliberately provoke anyone.

He was helping Wei Yuanzhan vent his anger.

Thinking of the bright red bruises on Wei Yuanzhan's lips and cheeks, Zhi Rou's eyebrows and eyes were slightly covered.

The older brother really went all out.

As dusk approached and darkness fell, Wei Yuanzhan lifted the curtain and emerged from his tent, leaving the camp alone without anyone following him.

This place is somewhat remote from where the princess and her entourage reside; the land is open and spacious, with weeds and stones growing outside the camp.

On a low rock to the left, a figure in pure white was sitting. Hearing the sound, the figure turned around, saw him, and immediately stepped down and walked towards him.

She had probably waited a long time, perhaps she hadn't left since she arrived. Her clothes were deeply wrinkled. Now she walked up to Wei Yuanzhan, carefully looked at his condition, and spoke softly.

"How are you?"