The medicine shop was filled with a bitter medicinal fragrance. Lu Jingze's fingertips traced the almost invisible jasmine engraving on the medicine cabinet, his knuckles turning white from the force.
The candlelight cast his shadow on the wall, like a trapped beast suppressing its anger.
"Your Highness, cart tracks have been found in the southwest bamboo forest!" Zhou Han lowered his voice. "Should we give chase?"
Lu Jingze's gaze swept over the three jasmine petals on the corner of the cabinet again, and he suddenly remembered that summer night.
Holding a glass of chilled plum soup, she animatedly recounted those silly plots from "storybooks" where one life was exchanged for another.
"Those authors simply don't understand." She laughed so hard she coughed. "Bad guys set traps just to make you fall into them; they don't care about integrity. Heroism becomes a tombstone in the face of a meticulously designed trap."
"If you really want to save someone, you have to be more composed than the other person."
"We've agreed that we'll use this jasmine flower pattern as the 'safety mark' from now on."
At that moment, a sly glint appeared in her eyes. "If you encounter danger, I'll leave this for you—don't rush to rescue me."
At the time, he thought it was just idle gossip among young ladies, but he never expected that she would actually use it.
Xiuxiu was telling him in the way they had agreed: There is an ambush here, do not act rashly.
"Master?" Zhou Han's urging brought him back to reality.
Lu Jingze closed his eyes.
"Issue the order," his voice was terribly hoarse, "The entire army must withdraw from Mingzhou and assemble thirty miles outside the city."
"But Your Majesty—"
"Send scouts to keep watch on all the canal wharves. Zhou Yun'an, familiar with the waterways, ordered the navy to encircle all the side roads along the route."
He glanced one last time at the lit window on the second floor of the medicine shop, and as he turned, his cloak swept across the wild chrysanthemums before the steps, startling a few dormant fireflies.
As the last squad of Xuanjia Guards quietly withdrew, the roof tiles of the Medicine Pavilion trembled slightly.
Xiao Cheng squinted at the departing torches, put away his crossbow, and leaped into the dark alley.
Thirty miles away in the Black Pine Forest, Lu Jingze stood in front of the sand table, his command flag heavily planted on the Mingzhou waterway.
He ran his fingers along the strings, the words of Wang Xiuxiu echoing in his ears—"If one day we find ourselves in dire straits, never step into a deadly situation to save me."
She always said that the bravery in the book was too reckless, but little did she know that in his heart, she was already more powerful than a thousand soldiers.
"Your Highness, the scouts report that there is indeed unusual smoke rising from Qingya Valley."
The night wind swept sand and dust into the tent. Lu Jingze spread out the Mingzhou city defense map and heavily circled the outer perimeter of Qingya Valley with his red brush.
Qingya Valley is a rare natural stronghold in Daqian, easy to defend and difficult to attack. If we rashly rush in, not only will we fail to rescue anyone, but we will also very likely put the Mingzhou garrison in a desperate situation of being attacked from both sides.
When will our people arrive?
"At the fastest, three days. Will we need to send people from elsewhere?"
"No need. Zhou Yun'an thought we would stay outside Mingzhou City."
He pointed to an inconspicuous spot on the sand table, "Actually, Xiuxiu wants us to go here."
Zhou Han gasped, "Those are treacherous shoals!"
"That's why, normally Zhou Yun'an would never leave," Lu Jingze said, his eyes gleaming. "But since Xiuxiu specifically gave this hint, it means she'll definitely try to get Zhou Yun'an to change his route."
He turned to look out the window, towards the southwest.
Under the moonlight, the outlines of the undulating mountains could be vaguely seen.
Meanwhile, his lover was risking her life to create an opportunity for them.
"Order the entire army to rest." Lu Jingze put away his handkerchief. "Tomorrow at dawn, split into two groups. The main force will continue to garrison outside Mingzhou City, while the elite troops will follow me along the Qingyuzui Trail."
At this moment, the two were far apart, yet they both looked towards the southwest.
One plays chess in a cage, the other plots in the dark of night, tacitly weaving the same inescapable net.
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