There were many people who came, about a dozen or so.
Zhu Jiayu pursed her lips.
This can hardly be called a fierce battle. Not only were the enemy numerous and she outnumbered them, but she also had a burden to carry, and these people were clearly after the burden.
This matter had nothing to do with her, and she could have easily walked away unscathed, but she turned to look at Wei Qinglou and sighed: she couldn't do such a thing.
In that instant, she thought of Rong Heng.
If Rong Heng were here, he would definitely come up with a grand and irresistible reason, then abandon his injured companion and flee with her.
He's always been that kind of person—a saintly figure with a heart of stone. He never gets his hands dirty when dealing with anyone. He has such incredible ability that if he wants someone dead, that person has no choice but to obediently pick up a knife and stab themselves in the heart.
But she couldn't do it.
Every time someone sacrificed themselves for them, she would have nightmares for a long time afterward, dreams of rivers of blood, countless wailing souls, and white banners fluttering in the wind.
She had lived through war and survived assassination attempts, but she still couldn't bring herself to be heartless and ignore the countless lives lost because of her.
Before, she was a parasitic vine clinging to Rong Heng, without, and unable to, have her own thoughts and opinions. But now, she is all alone, with only a dagger; life or death hangs in the balance.
She slowly raised her eyes, looking directly at the well-trained assassin in front of her without flinching.
Wei Qinglou stood behind her, watching her slender figure, a hint of a smile playing in his eyes.
"Young Master, we are late in coming to your rescue. Please forgive us!" The leader of the men in black stepped forward from behind, knelt on one knee in front of Wei Qinglou, and said with his head bowed.
He seemed not to see Zhu Jiayu. Or perhaps he did see her, but had already guessed that her relationship with his young master was unusual, and therefore did not draw his sword.
Zhu Jiayu turned her head and unexpectedly met Wei Qinglou's smiling eyes. She coldly sheathed her dagger: "Since the person who saved you has arrived, I'll be leaving now."
The smile vanished from Wei Qinglou's eyes: "We've been through thick and thin together, and you just leave like that? Without even a word to say to me?"
Zhu Jiayu turned and walked away without hesitation, not pausing because of his words, but still leaving behind the words: "Live well, don't waste my kindness."
Wei Qinglou tried to get up, but the movement aggravated the wound on his back, causing him to cry out in pain. Only then did the guard notice his injury. The guard quickly pressed down on his shoulder: "Mr. Du will be here soon. Young master, please do not move rashly. If your injury worsens, I will not be able to bear the responsibility."
Wei Qinglou brushed his hand away, but in the next instant, the guard had already prostrated himself in front of him, holding his long sword horizontally in front of him. His intention was clear: if Wei Qinglou insisted on making a move, he would kill him first.
These are the guards of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, loyal only to the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, not to any particular individual within it.
Wei Qinglou looked at him with red eyes and a cold expression. After a moment, he finally stopped moving, lowered his head and untied the lotus pendant on his body: "Send it to her."
It goes without saying who this "she" refers to.
The guard respectfully accepted the lotus pendant and chased after Zhu Jiayu in the direction she had left. When he returned, he was followed by a middle-aged scholar-like man, who was Du Zhong, the physician of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion.
When the guards came to welcome Wei Qinglou back to the capital, the Duchess was worried that her son might get injured or sick while traveling, so she specially asked him to come along.
After examining Wei Qinglou's wound, Du Zhong calmly said, "It's nothing serious. The poison isn't deep, and someone else treated your wound before. I'll prescribe some medicine for you. After taking it for half a month, the remaining poison will naturally be cleared away."
"Young Master?" Du Zhong finished speaking, and seeing that Wei Qinglou was expressionless and seemed to be thinking about something, he called out with slightly more emphasis.
Wei Qinglou then came to his senses and said, "I understand, thank you for your trouble, sir."
“Then we need to set off as soon as possible so that I can go to the nearby market to get medicine,” Du Zhong said, helping him up.
Wei Qinglou nodded slightly and said softly, "Okay."
Before being helped into the carriage by the guards, he held the pine-green cloak that Zhu Jiayu had forgotten on the ground in his arms. He took one last look in the direction she rode away before getting into the carriage.
After Zhu Jiayu met up with Lü Zheng and the others on horseback, the group continued south to the nearest inn to rest. They did not linger at the inn for too long, and after taking some braised meat cakes and tea, they continued on their way. Finally, as the sun was about to set, they entered Heling City and arrived at the Qiu residence.
Heling City is named after the Heling River outside the city. The city has many waterways and stone bridges, and everywhere there are weeping willows, green poplars, wisteria and magnolias.
Because several top scholars have emerged from this place, officials and common people alike hold scholars in high esteem. In contrast to the commercial atmosphere of Suiping, Heling exudes a refined and scholarly charm.
Changsheng drove the carriage from the spacious Changping Street into Mingxin Lane, stopped outside the Qiu residence, jumped down from the carriage, and said to Zhu Jiayu in the carriage through the brocade curtain: "Miss, we have arrived at the Qiu residence."
Zhu Jiayu lifted the curtain and peeked out. She saw that the side door was open and a fair-skinned old woman was standing at the door, obviously there to greet her.
Green Kite glanced at it and said angrily, "We went to great lengths to invite you to Heling, but only opened the side gate to welcome you. What kind of logic is this? Aren't our Zhu family and the Qiu family related by marriage? Why do we look like a poor family coming to beg for alms?"
Zhu Jiayu squeezed her hand: "Alright, let's not talk about this again. It's just a side door, is it worth getting so angry? After you come in, you are not allowed to tell any outsiders about my affairs in Suiping, understand?"
Green Kite hesitated for a moment, but under her young mistress's gaze, she nodded and said, "I'll remember."
The two, mistress and servant, then alighted from the carriage and walked to the side gate. The old woman bowed and said to Zhu Jiayu, "This must be Miss Zhu. The First Madam, the Second Madam, and the young masters and ladies have been waiting for a long time. This way, Miss Zhu."
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