Encountering the Crown Prince
The next morning, when Pei Qingwu woke up groggily, he still felt a little sore.
Gu Heng held her in his arms, thoughtfully placing his arm under her head instead of the less-than-comfortable pillow in the hotel.
He was still sleeping soundly, his long eyelashes fluttering with his breath like butterflies.
Looking at that face, Pei Qingwu couldn't help but recall what happened last night.
A young man and a young woman, both in love and alone in a room, are bound to be attracted to each other. It's like dry wood meeting a raging fire, and things quickly escalate.
Gu Heng has long fingers and a very strong waist. This young man, who has just tasted the sweetness of meat, is extremely difficult to deal with.
Pei Qingwu couldn't even remember how many times she cried last night.
Thinking of this, she blushed, gently pushed Gu Heng away, and crawled out from under the covers.
My hands and feet were still a little weak and I didn't have much strength. It took me a while to feel better.
She glanced back at Gu Heng, who was still fast asleep.
The boy's delicate features appeared exceptionally gentle and serene in the soft morning light, completely unlike the fierce, conquering spirit of the previous night.
Recalling those chaotic and burning moments, the heat that had just subsided on her face began to rise again, and she quickly and quietly pushed open the door to leave.
The hotel lobby was already quite noisy, with most travelers getting up as the air was filled with the aroma of cooked noodles and porridge.
Pei Qingwu found a corner to sit down and ordered some simple porridge.
As she ate, she noticed that the waiter behind the counter looked distressed, sighed repeatedly, and even the way he tidied the dishes was irritable.
"Brother Er, what's wrong? Why are you looking so worried?" Pei Qingwu put down his bowl of porridge and asked casually.
Upon hearing this, the waiter seemed to have found an outlet for his frustration. He sighed heavily and said in a low voice, "Alas, my lady, you don't know... the sky has fallen! We just received an urgent report that Murong Chengen, the military governor of the three towns, has rebelled!"
"Clang!" The bamboo chopsticks in Pei Qingwu's hand fell to the table with an abrupt sound.
Her heart sank, and a chill instantly gripped her limbs, more biting than the wind that had seeped in through the window cracks the night before.
The waiter, oblivious to her unease, sighed to himself, "Now war rages everywhere, and the land is filled with the smoke of battle! These peaceful days are over! I've heard that the vanguard has already broken through several prefectures and is heading towards Chang'an, the capital!"
Upon hearing this, Pei Qingwu took a deep breath, forcing himself to steady the tremor in his voice: "Then... Qin Prefecture, what is the situation in Qin Prefecture?"
Upon hearing this place name, the waiter rubbed his hands together, full of worry: "Qin Prefecture? Alas! The Prefect of Qin Prefecture, Zhao, did use some tricks to make that old scoundrel Murong suffer a setback and lose his title as the Military Governor of Longyou, but that was only on the surface..."
"Qinzhou is too close to the military town where that old scoundrel Murong started his power! Murong is burning with anger, and the first thorn he wants to remove is probably Qinzhou! There have been rumors of unusual activity on the border of Qinzhou a few days ago, and now... alas, I'm afraid it's more bad than good!"
Qin Prefecture is likely to face dire consequences...
Pei Qingwu felt a buzzing in her ears, and she didn't hear a single word the waiter was rambling on about the chaos in various places and soaring prices.
Those who had been kind to her, such as Magistrate Zhao and Lord Zhang, as well as Zhao Wan and Li Yinzhu, who were on good terms with her, and the shopkeepers she visited frequently...
These relatives and friends are likely struggling under Murong Chengen's iron heel right now, perhaps even...
She dared not think about it any further.
The porridge in the bowl had gone completely cold. Pei Qingwu put down the spoon with no appetite, got up with a heavy heart, and felt that his steps were heavier than when he came.
Pushing open the door, Gu Heng was already awake, sitting on the edge of the bed packing his luggage.
Hearing the door open, he immediately looked up and his eyes met Pei Qingwu's.
"Sister, sister..." Gu Heng's cheeks instantly flushed with two suspicious blushes, his eyes darted around, and he dared not look directly at her. His hands, which were tidying up his clothes, also became stiff.
He opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but didn't know how to start, looking hesitant and at a loss for words.
Seeing his almost coy and shy demeanor, Pei Qingwu's heavy mood was somewhat eased.
She walked over and looked at his slightly reddened earlobes, finding it quite amusing. She couldn't help but smile and teased, "What? You're embarrassed now that you've had a nap? Like a little girl, last night... um?"
As she spoke, she drew out the last syllable, her tone carrying a hint of teasing.
Gu Heng's face burned even hotter at her blunt words, almost to the point of bleeding. His Adam's apple bobbed violently, as if he were enduring immense embarrassment, and he lowered his head even further.
Seeing this, Pei Qingwu's smile deepened, but his tone remained gentle yet firm: "Aheng, don't look like that. Last night... it was my choice."
This simple sentence was like sweet rain falling on parched land.
Gu Heng suddenly raised his head and met her calm and clear gaze.
There was no reluctance or regret in it, only unspoken intimacy.
The boy's tense shoulders instantly relaxed, and the apprehension and shyness in his eyes were replaced by reassurance and tenderness. He let out a long sigh of relief, and a relieved smile finally appeared on his face, with a touch of silliness.
"Yes!" Gu Heng nodded vigorously: "Sister, let's pack up, it's time to get going."
The two quickly packed their belongings.
The chill of the winter morning was still biting; as soon as I opened the hotel door, a bone-chilling gust of cold wind hit me.
The streets were even more desolate than yesterday, with pedestrians hurrying along and looking somber. The shadow of war weighed heavily on everyone's hearts like a boulder.
“Sister,” Gu Heng draped the heavy vest over Pei Qingwu again and carefully tied the straps for her. His movements were much more natural, but his fingertips still trembled slightly when they occasionally brushed against the side of her neck.
He looked up at the official road leading to Qinzhou, his gaze resolute: "Murong Chengen has rebelled, and the road ahead will surely be fraught with danger, but no matter what, I will stay by your side."
The cold wind whipped up the snow dust on the ground, swirling it towards them.
Pei Qingwu gripped the collar of his vest tightly, the turmoil in his heart stirred by the news from Qin Prefecture slowly being soothed by a powerful warm current.
War has broken out, the future is uncertain, and fortune is unpredictable.
But at this moment, there is at least one person who will support her with a burning vow and a steadfast back.
"Okay," she replied softly, placing her hand in the boy's outstretched palm. "Let's go, let's go together."
The two walked side by side into that unknown, white expanse.
A few days later, Qiantao and the others who had left earlier returned with a letter.
By this time, the flames of war were almost at the gates of Chang'an, and many messengers had stopped delivering messages. It's unclear how Qiantao managed to deliver such a letter.
Pei Qingwu finally understood what it meant to say, "When war rages for three months, a letter from home is worth a fortune."
She quickly thanked the messenger, grabbed a handful of copper coins as payment, and then, in a few swift movements, tore open the envelope.
"I am well, Master. Yinlan and I have arrived at Lingwu, the military town of Shuofang. This place has not yet been ravaged by war and everything is peaceful. We plan to rest here for a while. However, it would be safest to go further south."
"I have discussed it with Yinlan Wuniang and others. We will wait in Lingwu for three days. If the boss, Aheng, Dayong Ge, Jinniang and the others do not come after three days, we will have to leave first."
At the end of the letter, they included the address where they were temporarily staying.
Pei Qingwu breathed a long sigh of relief.
It's good to have news, it's good to have news.
All things considered, they weren't too far from Lingwu. If they quickened their pace, they would definitely be able to meet up with Qiantao and the others in Lingwu.
With that in mind, Pei Qingwu handed the letter to Gu Heng and shared her thoughts.
Gu Heng naturally replied, "As for me, I'll listen to my sister in everything."
"Little Aheng, you're such a good boy!"
Pei Qingwu couldn't help but laugh and leaned over to kiss his cheek.
The last veil between them had been completely torn away, and they were no longer so hindered in their actions.
One night, as they approached Lingwu City, they missed the last inn along the way and had to spend the night in the carriage.
Gu Heng gathered a lot of firewood and started a bonfire outside the cart.
It can provide warmth and also deter wild animals lurking in the shadows.
Pei Qingwu, wrapped in a vest, sat by the campfire to warm himself and roasted some taro and chestnuts to eat.
Soon, the aroma of food filled the air.
"Ah Heng, try it and see if this taro is ready yet."
Pei Qingwu, quick as a flash, picked up the roasted taro from the fire.
Gu Heng was about to take a bite of the roasted taro from her hand when his ears keenly caught a slight noise.
"Who?!" he shouted.
At this time and in this place, encountering a stranger can sometimes be more terrifying than encountering a ghost.
Fortunately, that group of people showed up in time.
The man at the head of the group, a man in his thirties dressed in military uniform, politely crossed his arms and said, "Young master, young lady, my name is Cui Chengzhou. I did not mean to disturb you, it's just that..."
He paused, a hint of embarrassment on his face: "Our brother who accompanied us was injured, so we dared to come and ask if you two have any medicine for his wounds?"
Pei Qingwu peered over and saw two armored men supporting a person whose shoulder was injured and bleeding profusely.
Seeing that the group of people meant no harm, Pei Qingwu said, "We have madder herbs to stop bleeding. General, please wait a moment, I will fetch them right away."
Cui Chengzhou nodded: "Thank you for your trouble, madam."
They laid the injured man flat on the ground and loosened his clothes at the shoulder blades.
Pei Qingwu brought the medicine, and Cui Chengzhou thanked him again before gently applying it to the man's skin.
After the medicine was applied, the person's complexion improved significantly.
Cui Chengzhou cupped his hands again and said, "Thank you, madam. If it weren't for your help, we brothers would probably be in trouble."
Given the sanitary conditions of ancient times, such external injuries could indeed be life-threatening if not treated properly.
"It's no trouble at all. I happen to have some here. It's just a small favor." Pei Qingwu waved his hand.
"May I ask where you are from, madam? You must also be on your way?" Cui Chengzhou struck up a conversation.
“I am from Qinzhou, and I am indeed on my way.” Pei Qingwu sighed, “Murong Chengen raised an army in rebellion, and I was just trying to save my own life.”
"Is your surname Pei, my lady?"
Suddenly, one of Cui Chengzhou's companions asked, "If so, is it Pei Dongjia, the famous Sushan Market in Qinzhou?"
Pei Qingwu was taken aback: "How did you know, General?"
The man smiled, his face flickering in the firelight. He appeared to be a middle-aged man, refined and gentle: "I've often heard my younger sister mention that Master Pei is a remarkable woman, so I've kept an impression of her."
In a flash of inspiration, Pei Qingwu quickly stood up and tentatively asked, "Your Highness?"
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