Qin Sang pondered, "Given Sui Yun's swimming skills, if he had only fallen into the river, he should have a chance of survival. Unless his injuries are too severe..."

Qi Yue gripped the jade pendant tightly, forcing herself to remain calm: "Let's split up and inquire. I'll go to the villages along the river to ask around, Miss Qin Sang will check out the clinics, and you, cousin, will contact the local informants."

Xin Rui initially wanted to object to Qi Yue's solo trip, but seeing her determined gaze, he knew she had made up her mind, so he had no choice but to arrange for two guards to accompany her.

The next morning, Qi Yue arrived at the Cangjiang River. The river was swift and the waves were surging. Just imagining Xin Suiyun being seriously injured and falling into such a rapid current made her heart ache.

She walked downstream along the riverbank, showing Xin Suiyun's portrait to each village she visited and asking questions. Most villagers shook their heads, saying they had never seen him before. It wasn't until sunset, in a remote fishing village, that an old fisherman looked at the portrait thoughtfully.

“This man looks familiar,” the old fisherman squinted. “About two months ago, I rescued a seriously injured young man in a backwater ten miles downstream, and he looked somewhat similar to this man.”

Qi Yue's heart raced: "Does the old man remember where he went afterward?"

The old fisherman shook his head: "The young man was badly injured, so I settled him in a small hut on the shore. When I went to deliver his food the next day, he was nowhere to be found, leaving only a piece of silver as a token of my gratitude."

Qi Yue thanked the old fisherman and immediately rushed back to the inn to inform Xin Rui and Qin Sang.

“The area around Huishui Bay is mountainous and densely forested, making it a good place to hide.” Xin Rui’s spirits lifted. “We will search for it tomorrow.”

Qin Sang frowned and said, "If he leaves before his injuries have healed, the situation may not be optimistic."

They spent a sleepless night. Before dawn the next day, the three of them, along with their guards, headed to Huishui Bay. The terrain here was treacherous, where the river meandered to form a relatively calm body of water, surrounded by dense bamboo forests.

They found a simple thatched hut in the bamboo forest. The hut was covered in dust, but there were signs of someone sleeping on the straw mat in the corner, and some herbal residue was scattered next to the stove.

After examining the dregs of the herbs, Qin Sang confirmed: "This is a prescription for treating internal injuries. The preparation is quite professional, and it must have been made by Sui Yun himself."

Qi Yue found a small strip of blood-stained cloth next to the straw mat, the color of which matched the clothes Xin Suiyun wore when he left the capital. She carefully put the cloth away, feeling both relieved and worried—at least it proved that he had recuperated here.

Xin Rui found some blurry footprints outside the house: "It seems that he was able to walk on his own when he left, so he should be out of danger."

However, new problems arose one after another: Xin Suiyun left in a hurry before his injuries had fully healed. Did he discover some danger, or was he going to carry out some mission?

Back at the inn, the three re-analyzed the situation. Xin Rui thought Xin Suiyun might have gone to contact the Crown Prince's mole; Qin Sang guessed he might be searching for better medicinal herbs; while Qi Yue had a hunch that Xin Suiyun was hiding something.

"If he was just going to carry out a mission or find medicine, why didn't he leave any marks?" Qi Yue asked. "He knew we would come looking for him, and with his meticulousness, he would definitely have found a way to pass on the message."

Xin Rui pondered for a moment, then suddenly remembered something: "Unless... he thinks leaving a message would put us in danger."

Just then, a slight noise came from outside the window. Xin Rui immediately blew out the candle, signaling everyone to be quiet. A moment later, a dart pierced through the window paper and stuck to a pillar, with a small note attached to it.

Xin Rui cautiously opened the note, which contained only four simple words: "Northern Di spy, leave immediately."

The three exchanged glances. Qi Yue lowered her voice: "It seems that Sui Yun is indeed nearby, and is secretly protecting us."

Qin Sang nodded: "The handwriting is indeed Sui Yun's. He must have discovered the traces of the Northern Di spies and didn't want to implicate us."

Xin Rui immediately decided: "We will leave Linjiang Prefecture tomorrow, but not to return to the capital. Instead, we will go to Yunze Town nearby. There is a secret stronghold of the Crown Prince there, which is relatively safe. At the same time, we will spread the word that we have returned to the capital to lure the enemy out."

With their plans finalized, they made a grand departure from Linjiang Prefecture the next morning, pretending to be heading back to the capital. However, halfway there, they secretly changed their route and arrived at Yunze Town under cover of night.

Yunze Town is much smaller than Linjiang Prefecture, but it boasts beautiful scenery, with lakes and mountains that are truly breathtaking. The Crown Prince's secret hideout is an elegant courtyard by the lake, seemingly an ordinary residence, but in reality, it is heavily guarded.

After settling in, Qi Yue would take a walk by the lake every day, hoping to see the figure she longed for. One evening, as she was gazing at the lake in a daze, she suddenly heard a faint sound coming from the bamboo forest behind her.

"Suiyun?" she whispered, her heart racing.

The bamboo leaves rustled as a figure slowly emerged. In the moonlight, Xin Suiyun's face was pale and thin, but his eyes remained sharp. He wore ordinary cloth clothes, and his right arm was slinged across his chest, clearly indicating that his injury had not yet healed.

“You shouldn’t have come.” His voice was low, tinged with reproach, but even more so with worry.

Qi Yue hurried forward, wanting to touch him but afraid of hurting his wound, her hand hovering in mid-air: "Your wound..."

"It's alright," Xin Suiyun replied briefly, his gaze lingering on her face. "The Northern Di spies already know you've gone south to find me, so it's not safe for you to stay here any longer."

"Then come back to Beijing with me," Qi Yue said eagerly.

Xin Suiyun shook his head: "I still have a mission to complete. Although Ashina Lu is dead, his confidants are still active. I must eliminate them, otherwise there will be endless troubles."

Looking at his haggard face, Qi Yue felt heartbroken: "How can you fight when you're injured like this? At least let your cousin and Miss Qin Sang help you."

“No,” Xin Suiyun firmly objected. “This is my responsibility alone; I cannot implicate more people.”

Qi Yue wanted to argue, but Xin Suiyun suddenly pulled her into his arms. The embrace was careful, avoiding his wounds, yet it was filled with indescribable emotions.

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