Chapter 79 Wasn't he good enough to her?

She had seen the travel permit that Gu Lingyu had helped Shen Qingnian obtain.

Xie Yanzhi sheathed his sword and stared at her.

Xiangcao quickly knelt on the ground: "I have seen the travel permit that Miss helped Miss Biao obtain. It says Tongzhou on it."

Xie Yanzhi's face turned frosty. Shen Qingnian's travel permit was arranged by Gu Lingyu.

When did the two of them become so close that they could complement each other?

"Tell me everything you know!"

After hearing Xiangcao's words, Xie Yanzhi understood. Shen Qingnian used helping Gu Lingyu enter the manor as a bargaining chip! She wanted Gu Lingyu to help her obtain a travel permit, all in order to leave him!

In other words, she had planned this all along.

He then remembered the bamboo-green robe from that day; it turned out it was prepared for her.

Xie Yanzhi silently mocked himself; the sleeves were so small and short, it was obviously not meant for him.

How could I have been fooled by her back then!

She also went to say goodbye to the old lady in advance.

Doesn't all of this just show that she didn't want to be a concubine and didn't want to be with him?

In order to escape herself, she even used the people she hated.

You really underestimated her.

Thinking of Shen Qingnian's obedient appearance, he couldn't help but frown. Just how much of a pretense did Shen Qingnian put on in front of him?

She's still the same cunning person she always was; she hasn't changed at all.

Shen Qingnian's decision to go to Tongzhou was something he hadn't expected.

She would have fled back to Jiangnan, why would she go to Tongzhou?

Xie Yanzhi scoffed coldly, wondering how many things Shen Qingnian was still hiding from him.

He turned to head towards the door, but then he saw the ruby ​​and gold hairpin protruding from the beggar's arms, and he snatched it away.

"You touched her?" Xie Yanzhi looked over with a sharp gaze.

The beggar was so frightened that his legs went weak, and he repeatedly begged for mercy: "No, no!"

He hadn't expected that the young woman was actually the nobleman's sweetheart; luckily, he hadn't touched her.

"I helped that young lady escape, and this was a gift from her," the beggar said ingratiatingly.

Hopefully, this benefactor will spare him out of consideration for the young lady he helped.

With a flash of sword light, the beggar screamed in agony, clutching his hand. When Xiangcao saw the beggar's severed limb, she felt a chill of fear and covered her mouth, shrinking to the ground, too afraid to move.

At this moment, Yuan Qing arrived at the door with a group of people. When he saw Xie Yan come out alone, his heart jumped into his throat.

He looked inside again, but didn't see the person he wanted to see.

"Young master, where is Miss Qing?"

Xie Yanzhi, with a stern face, tossed a token to Yuan Qing: "Take some men to the city gate and check all those going to Tongzhou."

"Yes, sir!" Yuan Qing understood that Miss Qing and Lingjiao had gone to Tongzhou!

"Sir, what about you?"

"I'm going to the ferry!" Xie Yanzhi mounted his horse and galloped towards the ferry.

He knew that Shen Qingnian had only been gone for a short time.

There are only two routes from Beijing to Tongzhou.

They could either travel south by boat or hire a horse-drawn carriage to travel day and night.

Shen Qingnian came from Jiangnan, and he just felt that she would leave by boat.

He wanted to personally bring her back and ask her why she left. Wasn't he good enough to her?

No one has ever refused the overtures of a prince!

His eyes were red, and the chill emanating from him was even more biting.

He wanted to show her what would happen if she lied to him and betrayed him!

Yuan Qing didn't dare to delay and immediately led his men toward the city gate.

At the ferry crossing, Ling'er waited for Shen Qingnian with her bundle in her arms, but she didn't see her young mistress until sunset.

Seeing that she was now all alone at the bustling ferry crossing, she felt a little panicked.

Did something happen to the young lady on the way?

Looking at the distant lights, a wave of regret washed over her.

She should have stayed by the young lady's side, but if she had followed the young lady's bridal sedan chair at that time, it would have aroused suspicion.

The boatman behind him shouted, "Hey young man over there, are you coming or not? This is the last boat."

Ling'er glanced back at the boatman but didn't say anything. How could she dare to leave without her mistress's presence?

"It's getting dark, the person you're waiting for won't come." The boatman shook his head when he saw that she was still waiting there.

He watched as the young man waited with his bundle, but no one came.

One can't help but wonder if his sweetheart is not coming.

Ling'er looked into the distance, and in the dim candlelight, there seemed to be a shadow moving.

When the shadow emerged from the darkness, Ling'er looked closely and realized it was her mistress.

She rushed forward, crying, "Miss!"

God knows how worried and scared she was!

Thank goodness, Miss has finally arrived!

Shen Qingnian made a "shh" gesture to her and said with a smile, "Now you have to call me Young Master."

Ling'er was also dressed in men's robes. "You are no longer my maid, but my page."

"Young master, why did it take you so long to come back?"

Ling'er saw that Shen Qingnian's face was slightly flushed, and she was panting heavily; she was covered in sweat, as if she had come from a very far place.

“Gu Lingyu had someone hold me back,” Shen Qingnian said, her expression darkening slightly.

She thought that by helping Gu Lingyu achieve her goal, Gu Lingyu would no longer make things difficult for her. In the end, she forgot the complexity of human nature.

Fortunately, it ended without any serious harm.

Shen Qingnian smiled at Ling'er, "Let's go quickly."

Ling'er slapped her forehead. "Oh dear, let's go, young master!"

"The boatman has urged us several times already!"

The two turned around and saw that the boat had already left the shore.

"Boat...housekeeper! We haven't boarded the boat yet!" Ling'er shouted anxiously.

The boatman simply waved to them from the bow and continued rowing into the river.

"What should we do, young master?"

"Shall we find an inn to stay at for the night before we leave?" Ling'er asked tentatively.

Now that the boat has left, and they can't go back to the Jingnan Marquis's residence, where else can they go if not to an inn?

Shen Qingnian felt somewhat annoyed.

If she had been more wary of Gu Lingyu, she wouldn't have been led to that secluded courtyard, where she had to stumble around for ages before finally finding her way to the ferry.

If she had run a little faster, she could have caught up!

Should we stay another night? Shen Qingnian frowned slightly.

Perhaps Xie Yanzhi has already returned to the manor and knows what she did.

She didn't think she was that important to Xie Yanzhi that he would chase after her overnight.

But she did run away from the wedding, causing him to lose face, and he will definitely be furious.

Given his gloomy nature, if she were caught by him now, who knows how he would torture her.

Shen Qingnian took a deep breath.

She seemed to hear the clatter of horses' hooves in the distance.

Judging from the sound, it was clear that a lot of people had arrived. The people on horseback seemed to be in a hurry, and the whips made the horses neigh.

Shen Qingnian looked back at the road leading to the ferry, but it was only dark and there was no one in sight.

But she felt inexplicably panicked, an unnamed fear crept into her heart, making her feel as if a million insects were gnawing at her body.

She looked again at the dark, surging river, its waters carrying a fishy smell, crashing against the shore and sending chills down her spine.

Shen Qingnian clenched her fists. For some reason, she felt that she had to leave the capital city tonight!