At the hour of Yin (3-5 AM), Yuncheng was still shrouded in darkness. At the back gate of the Qi residence, Xin Jiuwei tightened her fox fur cloak. The cold wind ruffled the fur trim of the hood, tickling her cheeks slightly.

She glanced back at the Qi residence where she had lived for over a month. The light was still on in her maternal grandfather's study, and she could vaguely see a hunched figure standing by the window.

"Miss, the carriage is ready," Xin Kui said in a low voice. Today she had changed into a smart riding outfit and had a short sword at her waist.

Xin Jiuwei nodded and was about to get on the car when she suddenly heard hurried footsteps behind her.

"cousin!"

Qi Huaihe followed, wearing a dark cloak, his hair still damp with unwashed dew.

He grabbed Xin Jiuwei's wrist and shoved a bulging purse into her palm: "Take this."

The purse felt heavy in her hand. Xin Jiuwei untied the ribbon and saw that it contained a few gold leaves and the rest were loose silver coins that were easy to sell.

"Cousin, this..."

"Don't refuse." Qi Huaihe interrupted her, his voice firm and unyielding. "The capital is not like Yuncheng or Yingzhou; you have to smooth things over everywhere." He paused, then took out a finely crafted dagger from his robes. "Take this with you too. Remember I taught you how to use it."

The moment the dagger was drawn, its cold light illuminated Xin Jiuwei's eyes.

She remembered this dagger—the only thing her cousin had taken with him when he left his hometown in her previous life. Her fingertips traced the blue silk cord wrapped around the hilt; the faded knots were clearly from many years ago.

"I will return it to you intact." Xin Jiuwei carefully put the dagger away, then suddenly remembered something, looked up and stared directly into her cousin's eyes, "Cousin, if my sister asks..."

Qi Huaihe's ears were slightly red in the morning light: "I'll tell her you went to visit friends in Jiangnan."

He hesitated for a moment, then added, "But it won't be a secret for long. Cousin Xi Yao is much smarter than you think."

Mentioning her sister warmed Xin Jiuwei's heart. In her past life, she never understood until her death what kind of burning care was hidden beneath her sister's seemingly cold words and actions.

"Apologize to my sister for me," Xin Jiuwei said softly. "And... thank you, cousin."

As the carriage left Yuncheng, the sky was just beginning to lighten with the first hint of dawn. Xin Jiuwei leaned against the carriage wall, clutching Xiao Xun's blood-stained letter tightly in her hand. The sound of the wheels rolling over the snow was monotonous and dull, much like the anxious beating of her heart.

"Miss, shall we take the main road or the side road?" Xin Kui asked, lifting the carriage curtain.

Xin Jiuwei pondered for a moment: "Let's take the official road first, then switch to waterway at Qingzhou." Her fingertips unconsciously traced the hilt of her dagger. "Minister Lin's men might still be watching the Qi residence; we need to leave Yingzhou as soon as possible."

Inside the carriage, Xin Jiuwei took out her father's letter and read it again. The Zhenbei Marquis's residence... the Second Prince's move was ruthless and precise. In her past life, her sister's life was ruined by this marriage. And now, the Second Prince's sudden attack on the Xin family—is it related to Xiao Xun's return to the capital? Or... have they discovered her connection with Xiao Xun?

Thinking of this, Xin Jiuwei broke out in a cold sweat. If she had implicated her family... she dared not think any further.

As dawn broke, the carriage had already traveled more than thirty li. Xin Jiuwei lifted the carriage curtain and gazed at the withered trees passing by on both sides of the official road. In a daze, she saw the ginkgo tree at Lingyin Temple again.

"Miss? You don't look well." Xin Kui handed her a water pouch. "Would you like to rest for a while?"

Xin Jiuwei shook her head, forcing herself back to reality: "Continue on our journey, reach Qingsong Post Station before dark."

However, the weather turned against them, and before noon, snowflakes began to fall again. At first, it was just a few scattered snowflakes, but it gradually became a heavy snowfall. The carriage struggled to move forward through the snow, its speed slowing down more and more.

"Miss, the snow is too heavy, the horses can't move," the coachman called from outside. "There's an inn up ahead, would you like to rest for the night?"

Xin Jiuwei frowned. Delaying the journey was not her wish, but if forcing the journey caused damage to the carriage, it would only make things worse. She lifted the curtain and looked out. In the wind and snow, she could vaguely see a swaying red lantern with the four large characters "Yuelai Inn" written on it.

"This will do," she said helplessly.

The inn was more lively than expected. Several tables of guests sat in the lobby, mostly merchants and travelers stranded due to the snowstorm. Xin Jiuwei, wearing a veiled hat, walked briskly towards the counter with Xin Kui's help. As she passed a table of guests, she suddenly heard the words "Sixth Prince," and her steps faltered.

"...I heard the injuries were quite serious; three groups of people from the Imperial Hospital were sent..."

"Shh, keep your voice down. Is this something you can just talk about?"

"What's there to be afraid of? This is the middle of nowhere..."

Xin Jiuwei's nails dug deeply into her palms. She forced herself to keep walking forward, but heard every word clearly.

"Would you like a meal or a room in the inn, sir?" the innkeeper greeted with a smile.

"Two superior rooms," Xin Kui replied on his behalf, "and bring up some hot food as well."

As Xin Jiuwei went upstairs, the hem of her skirt accidentally brushed against a female guest sitting alone in a corner. The woman was about thirty years old, wearing a purplish-red dress, with only a white jade hairpin in her hair, yet she exuded an extraordinary air about her.

"I'm sorry," Xin Jiuwei said softly.

The woman looked up, revealing a beautiful but slightly pale face. Her gaze lingered on Xin Jiuwei's veiled hat for a moment, then she suddenly smiled: "It's alright. Be careful not to catch a cold while traveling in this snowy weather, young lady."

Her voice was neither too loud nor too soft, just enough for Xin Jiuwei to hear clearly without attracting the attention of others. What was even stranger was that the voice sounded strangely familiar, but Xin Jiuwei was certain she had never seen this person before.

Upon entering the guest room, Xin Jiuwei immediately instructed Xin Kui, "Go and inquire about the Sixth Prince that the people at that table were talking about."

Xin Kui accepted the order and left, while Xin Jiuwei stood alone by the window, gazing at the snow falling heavier and heavier outside. Just how badly was Xiao Xun injured? Why did the Imperial Hospital send three groups of people? Various speculations churned in her mind, and her chest ached as if a heavy stone was pressing down on it.

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