Su Wanwan: "..."
All right.
Liu Qi is very useful, more valuable than Rong Wang's life; exchanging him for Liu Qi would be too much of a loss.
"Alright, let's go." Su Wanwan ignored him.
She had originally intended to offer some words of praise.
But this person gets so arrogant if I don't praise them, they'll be strutting around like crazy. If I praise them any more, they'll be in big trouble.
Liu Qi shrugged and got down to business.
"There's a restaurant outside Juyong Pass where people stop for a bite to eat. The owner's daughter went missing recently. They say she met a nobleman traveling incognito and left with him. She's going to become a concubine in the palace someday."
Su Wanwan raised an eyebrow: "When did this happen?"
About a month ago.
Su Wanwan paused for a moment, then simply said, "Let's go."
Liu Qi thought to himself, "He's really good at enduring things."
No wonder she became empress.
Instead of heading north out of Juyong Pass, they left the city and headed southwest towards Zijing Pass. They changed horses and coachmen along the way, traveling day and night.
While resting and having a meal at a post station outside Yansui City, two soldiers in military uniforms at the next table were drinking and having a very lively conversation.
"Lord Bi is really enjoying wearing this green hat, sending his wife to please a nobleman. This kind of magnanimity is not something an ordinary man can do."
"Haven't you heard? His wife was originally the emperor's sweetheart, but she couldn't compete with the empress and was married off. It's said that she was pregnant with the emperor's child at the time."
"No wonder the Emperor chased after us here to rekindle his old flame; he can be considered quite devoted."
"Shh, don't let the news leak out."
Su Wanwan held a cup of hot tea and sipped it slowly, her head down as if she hadn't heard what they were saying.
Liu Qi and she were both dressed in military uniforms. Their identities were couriers who delivered military letters. They kept a low profile and did not attract much attention.
Liu Qi glanced at her lightly.
The journey of over a thousand miles, day and night, was arduous, even for a man who had practiced martial arts since childhood.
How did someone as delicate as her manage to persevere?
Is it worth it?
Su Wanwan felt as if all the bones in her body had been dismantled, and she was in unbearable pain.
However, the capital was rife with undercurrents and various forces were eager to make their moves. If the emperor did not show up, the situation would be beyond her control as empress.
In any case, she had to persuade Lu Xingjian to return to the capital.
Ironically, Lu Xingjian's whereabouts were revealed to her by Ma Ji in a letter, in which she wrote with smug satisfaction: "He is fond of me and travels thousands of miles to be with me."
The next day, Su Wanwan changed into women's clothing and went into the city with Liu Qi to the most famous Diecui Garden in Yansui City.
In the warm spring of March, the spring breeze finally reached Yansui.
The garden is filled with blooming flowers, flowing streams and small bridges, creating a small, elegant environment reminiscent of the Jiangnan region in this arid loess land.
As Gu Ziyu turned the corner, he saw the beautiful figure arguing with the guard at the door, and his heart skipped a beat.
He strode over and asked incredulously, "What are you doing here?"
Su Wanwan chuckled: "What, you're not welcoming me?"
Gu Ziyu glanced back at the direction of the private room and immediately felt a headache coming on.
No, no.
Su Wanwan lifted her skirt and walked towards the private room.
Gu Ziyu lowered his voice: "No matter what, don't show yourself yet."
Su Wanwan simply nodded, pricking up her ears to listen to the sounds inside.
The people inside communicated in Tatar, chatting and laughing.
The burly man said, "As long as Daliang agrees to maintain trade with our Ordos, Tumed, and Yongxiebu tribes and continue to buy horses in large quantities, why should we need to fawn over the Khan's stinking feet?"
Lu Xingjian's voice was casual and relaxed: "Then we'll wait for your sincerity."
There was a moment of silence.
A woman's voice chuckled and smoothed things over: "This concubine toasts all of you gentlemen."
It was Maggie.
Maggie picked up the wine bowl in front of her and drank it all in one gulp, winning high praise from the Tatars.
"Lord Lu's woman is so forthright, just like us Tatars!"
After a few more casual words, the Tatar man rose to take his leave.
Gu Ziyu pulled Su Wanwan to hide to the side of the private room.
Not long after, Lu Xingjian and Ma Ji also came out.
Lu Xingjian didn't leave immediately. He stopped at the door of the private room, his voice cold and distant:
"Who told you that you are my woman?"
Maggie's eyes were red-rimmed as she timidly defended herself:
"Everyone in Yansui City knows that I am the Emperor's woman and that I was pregnant with a prince."
“Even the Tatars are begging me to act as a go-between, hoping to get a promise from you.”
Su Wanwan lost her balance and stumbled, but Gu Ziyu caught her in time.
Lu Xingjian, with his keen hearing, glanced in the direction where Su Wanwan was hiding and took a step to walk over.
Maggie quickly stepped forward and reached out to grab his sleeve:
"I've never let anyone else near me, my heart and my body belong to you!"
"I know you don't like the Empress, but you only married her because of her family's power!"
"I don't want any titles or status, I just want to be by your side, watching over you day and night. I don't want anything else!"
Lu Xingjian frowned, glanced back at her, raised his hand to avoid her touch, and said coldly, "Get lost."
Lu Xingjian strode forward a few steps and soon spotted Su Wanwan and Gu Ziyu standing by the wall.
His pupils trembled instantly.
I really didn't expect her to be here.
Maggie persisted from behind, saying, "I won't leave. You're the one for me!"
Lu Xingjian ignored her and pulled Su Wanwan out directly.
Maggie was stunned when Su Wanwan appeared here, then smiled smugly.
“Look at him, he made a special trip to Yansui for me, while you can only chase after him all the way here.”
Su Wanwan ignored Maggie's provocation and turned to ask Lu Xingjian seriously:
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