My Gentle and Pure Sect Leader Husband - Chapter 60

In the following ten days or so, the final stage of Wuqing’s treatment ended, requiring him to rest quietly in bed for some time.

The love story of the Loulan High Priest and Princess Qu Ya quickly spread throughout the capital’s streets and alleys under someone’s promotion, with trends of spreading to other prefectures.

Yan Hongyin, after all, was battle-hardened and had long developed a calm demeanor when dealing with Yu Luocha’s endless schemes.

As the Emperor’s day for choosing a prince consort for Princess Qu Ya drew near, Yan Hongyin also began preparing to return to the palace for the banquet.

–Originally, choosing a prince consort for the princess wouldn’t have such grandeur, but with Yu Luocha stirring things up so dramatically, it had reached the level of a state affair. According to protocol, the Emperor needed to host a banquet in the palace to entertain Loulan. As the princess involved in the alliance marriage, Yan Hongyin naturally had to attend.

This was probably why Yu Luocha had been so patient, having been in the capital for four or five days without coming to find Yan Hongyin.

Although Princess Qu Ya did not frequently move about the inner palace, the princess’s favor was well-known. After all, she was the only princess who, upon birth, was granted her own territory, title, and exclusive palace. Truly speaking, even the princes hadn’t received such honor.

Yan Hongyin sat with closed eyes before the bronze mirror, allowing the palace ladies to fuss over her. After what seemed like ages, when the palace ladies finally stepped back, Yan Hongyin opened her eyes to look at the dazzling, magnificently adorned Princess Qu Ya in the mirror, feeling the weight on her head that would cause her neck to sink with the slightest movement. She was at a loss for words.

The palace lady beside her called for a maid who approached with a tray, head bowed respectfully. “Please move to dress, Your Highness.”

The ceremonial robes on the maid’s tray felt heavy even just to lift.

Yan Hongyin’s pupils trembled: “……”

She marked this debt in her account with Yu Luocha.

……

“Achoo!”

In the side hall where he was waiting, Yu Luocha sneezed when his nose suddenly itched.

The older man beside him immediately showed concern. “Your Excellency?”

The people of Loulan city respected Yu Luocha as their High Priest. They didn’t care who this excellency was to outsiders; they only knew that he was their life-saving deity who had rescued them when they were homeless and suffering refugees.

When the High Priest sent word back about wanting to marry the Great Ming Princess, the city folk were overjoyed and rushed here as quickly as possible day and night to make arrangements for their excellency, determined to ensure he would win his bride.

“It’s nothing,” Yu Luocha rubbed his face, muttering, “The princess must be thinking of me.”

“Your Excellency and the princess are truly a perfect match made in heaven,” the man immediately praised, with genuine joy in the corners of his eyes and brows.

“Of course,” Yu Luocha, reclining in his chair, tilted his head slightly with a faint smile.

The palace maids and eunuchs waiting nearby were old hands in the palace who had all seen Princess Qu Ya’s cold demeanor. Hearing this, they were speechless and could only lower their heads further.

……

“His Majesty arrives——“

“The Grand Princess arrives——“

Princess Qu Ya, dressed in splendid ceremonial robes, followed slowly behind the Emperor as they entered the hall.

The princess’s black hair was adorned with a Nine-Pheasant Four-Phoenix crown interspersed with pearls and jade. Behind the crown hung four phoenix panels decorated with trailing pearls. Her deep blue ceremonial robe had red trim with cloud and phoenix gold patterns woven in. With jade revolution, jade pendants, and other ornaments, she exuded supreme nobility.

Discerning people noticed that Grand Princess Qu Ya wore ceremonial attire equivalent to that of a Crown Princess. The more astute guests exchanged glances, speculating whether the Emperor truly favored this Grand Princess so much, or if it was because the Princess had attracted the tribute and interests from Loulan as a vassal state.

The lands beyond the passes had always been beyond the court’s reach. In recent years, the Emperor had opened border passes and promoted trade, demonstrating his emphasis on those regions. Now that Loulan had emerged and pledged allegiance to the court as its first act, with Loulan facilitating exchange between the regions beyond the passes, the court had resolved a major concern.

But undeniably, before the Emperor designated an heir, Grand Princess Qu Ya’s status had already surpassed that of the two princes who had been struggling for succession. This was also a forceful warning to the court officials with various intentions.

–Regardless of how the two princes competed, the outcome would be determined by the Emperor’s decree.

This realm ultimately belonged to the supreme sovereign on the dragon throne.

As the honored guest of the banquet, the Loulan High Priest was seated in the first row below the upper seats. As Yan Hongyin ascended the jade steps, she turned to glance at Yu Luocha.

The Loulan people, born in the great desert, favored bright colors, but like those of the Central Plains, they also regarded black and blue-green as noble colors, and regardless of age, they never bound their hair.

The Loulan High Priest’s hair was like fine silk, with gold and vermilion hairpieces hooked into his hair, with several thin braids hanging in front.

His deep blue robe with gold trim covered a black inner garment. The complex and magnificent necklace ornaments decorated his neck, adhering to the exposed honey-colored skin and sliding into the valleys between his muscles. The gold ornaments on his fingers, waist, and legs were exquisite, all demonstrating Loulan’s ancient kingdom’s wealth and strength.

Yu Luocha looked up and met Yan Hongyin’s gaze. As they passed each other, both had smiles flashing in their eyes.

Yan Hongyin maintained the Grand Princess’s decorum and passed by Yu Luocha without a sideways glance. Suddenly, a sound transmission sounded in her ear despite being in full public view.

——“Darling, meet me at our usual place tonight~”

Yan Hongyin never thought such romantic moonlit trysts would happen to her.

But she still changed out of her ceremonial robes, scaled the palace walls, and took advantage of the moonlight to reach the thatched hut outside the capital where they first met.

Pushing open the door, she found Yu Luocha still dressed as the Loulan High Priest, lying on his side on the simple bed in the thatched hut. His flowing hair cascaded down, the slightly curled ends hanging off the bed. Gold ornaments layered among the dark green ceremonial robes, and his slender fingers held a locust stone that he was examining.

In an instant, the originally bare thatched hut was illuminated by this lazy, reclining beauty——gaining radiance from humble surroundings.

“Ah Yin, look what I found?”

Hearing the door open, Yu Luocha looked up with a smile, raising the locust stone between his fingers.

“When we first met, I heard you push the door open, and I was holding this locust stone in my hand. I didn’t expect that after so long, it would still be here.”

Yu Luocha had fainted suddenly back then and had hidden the locust stone between the bed planks. Later, when the two left in a hurry, Yu Luocha even forgot about this small item.

If Yan Hongyin had checked the bed carefully at that time, she would have likely suspected Yu Luocha’s identity much earlier.

Yan Hongyin closed the door behind her and walked to the bed, moving Yu Luocha’s hair aside to make room to sit, saying, “Hmm, I can’t recall which person I used the poison needle in my hood on at that time.”

Yu Luocha immediately put on a wounded expression, complaining sorrowfully, “How could Ah Yin be so cruel?”

Yan Hongyin lowered her gaze and held Yu Luocha’s chin, speaking softly, “Not nearly as terrifying as the Loulan High Priest’s checkmate.”

Yu Luocha knew no shame and immediately took hold of Yan Hongyin’s wrist, twisting his body like a beautiful snake to curl into Yan Hongyin’s arms, comfortably resting his head on her lap, looking up with seductive charm. “Just a suitor’s little trick. Doesn’t the princess find it interesting?”

Yan Hongyin’s body stiffened, then gradually relaxed. She twisted the wrist that Yu Luocha held, reversing the grip, her fingertips sliding across his palm. “If you wield a knife, why are there no calluses on your palm?”

Yu Luocha’s hands, which obviously belonged to someone pampered and privileged, had once seriously interfered with Yan Hongyin’s judgment.

Although his open robes revealed a firm, well-shaped chest, when this person reined in his aura and put on an act, he was able to give off the impression of a delicate Yu Luocha. Hearing the question, he chuckled lightly, his fingertips sliding across Yan Hongyin’s fingertips. “Ah Yin’s hands are also extremely smooth without any flaws… what method did you use?”

“I used a special ointment that causes a slight burning pain, but the effect is adequate.”

“There’s such a good thing?” Yu Luocha’s eyes lit up, and then he changed the subject to talk about his own method while trying to gain some sympathy. “When I sealed my acupoints with golden needles to conceal my identity, I wanted to be flawless. I used sandstone to completely grind away the calluses on my hands. When the flesh and skin regenerated, they became as delicate as new, and no one could detect any flaws.”

Simple, direct, and bloodily brutal—truly Yu Luocha’s way of doing things.

“Crude,” Yan Hongyin commented coolly, her finger lightly tapping the back of Yu Luocha’s hand. “Next time, ask me first before doing anything like that, hm?”

Yu Luocha’s eyes curved into a smile. “Alright, I’ll listen to my wife~”

“Ah Yu.”

“Hmm?”

“What kind of wedding do you want?”

“A wedding…” Yu Luocha closed his eyes, his nose filled with the faint scent of rouge that Yan Hongyin had picked up during the day. “We’ve already been through a marriage of convenience. If possible, I’d quite like to experience what a marriage based on mutual love and understanding would be like.”

“But this is also good. If we want to get married again in the future, we could always hold another ceremony in Loulan~”

Yu Luocha had always been open-minded, never clinging to or obsessing over material things, always clearly grasping what was important and what wasn’t.

As for marriage, as long as it was with Ah Yin, it didn’t matter how many times they did it. Keeping her by his side was the most pressing matter.

Yan Hongyin snorted with a laugh, saying with an ambiguous tone. “You’re certainly open-minded.”

“What else can I do? As the old Central Plains saying goes—” Yu Luocha opened one eye to peek at Yan Hongyin, “Marry a rooster, follow a rooster; marry a dog, follow a dog~”

Yan Hongyin covered Yu Luocha’s eyes with her hand, speaking flatly, “…You need to study and learn more about Central Plains culture.”

Yu Luocha immediately burst into laughter.

Yan Hongyin brought up the real reason for coming today. “The Second Prince fell ill half an hour ago and is bedridden. The Second Prince’s faction is now searching for famous doctors in the capital. Given my sensitive position, they probably won’t approach me directly.”

The Second Prince?

Oh, that green-hatted fruit of the Emperor’s.

Yu Luocha dismissed it casually. “So they’ll come to kidnap me?”

“Yes, but the people coming might be Lu Gang’s spies who had infiltrated the Jinyiwei,” Yan Hongyin said. “They may have guessed the Commander’s identity.”

Yu Luocha raised an eyebrow. “Doesn’t Lu Gang serve the Grand Prince’s faction?”

“He wants the merit of supporting the future Emperor,” Yan Hongyin looked away, no longer meeting Yu Luocha’s gaze. “Whether the Grand Prince or the Second Prince takes the throne, he wants to maintain his power and position.”

“Quite ambitious, but lacking the ability,” Yu Luocha pursed his lips. Lu Gang was already dead, yet his schemes continued. “Do you need me to stir things up in the Jinyiwei for you?”

“Yes, make it look convincing,” Yan Hongyin’s fingers unconsciously began to play with Yu Luocha’s hair.

Yu Luocha’s long hair was incredibly smooth, feeling even more delicate to the touch than those pampered royal cats.

Yu Luocha understood immediately. This was about using the frail and weak Loulan High Priest to intercept those seeking medical help from Yan Hongyin, while also rooting out traitors within the Jinyiwei. This game was truly interesting.

“Easy,” Yu Luocha narrowed his eyes, becoming drowsy from the petting. “By the way, hmm… the Luocha Sect will have some foolish people causing trouble in the next few days. Ah Yin, don’t hold back—just deal with them directly.”

Many in the Luocha Sect knew about Yu Luocha’s relationship with the ancient kingdom of Loulan, as Yu Luocha had never deliberately concealed it.

With Yan Hongyin standing out as such an obvious weakness before them, it would be impossible for them not to test her.

Yu Luocha could certainly nip these attempts in the bud, but letting Yan Hongyin establish her authority herself would likely better suit her style of handling matters.

“Mm.”

Yan Hongyin agreed, raising her eyes to look toward the bedside, her gaze sweeping past the wind chimes that swayed without a breeze by the window.

“Guess… which side will come first?” she asked.

Yu Luocha, forced to leave the beauty’s lap, reluctantly sat up and said slowly, “Whichever side comes first, they have extremely poor timing.”

As soon as he finished speaking, subtle movements came from the other side of the thatched hut.

Yu Luocha clicked his tongue. “Planned together?”

The two walked out the door like any ordinary couple meeting for a tryst.

Yan Hongyin had sleeve daggers hidden in her hand, while Yu Luocha’s fingers held that locust stone.

A silver hook rose from above the grove, and the cold moonlight fell to the ground, flashing with dangerous silver radiance.

Yu Luocha quickly recognized who had come, raised his hand to wrap around Yan Hongyin’s waist, and lightly touched her cheek, smiling as he transmitted a message. “Not anyone important. Ah Yin can kill them if you want, or keep them for a while if you want to play. Enjoy yourself~”

Yan Hongyin felt Yu Luocha slip something into her hand. Her expression unchanged, she flipped it into her sleeve with her fingers, glancing over Yu Luocha’s shoulder at the shadows on the other side. Her eyes flashed as she transmitted. “Those coming for you aren’t easy to deal with. Good luck… enjoy yourself.”

In the twilight moonlight, the two lovers who had seemingly met for a romantic rendezvous reluctantly parted.

Commander Yan looked at those who had come to capture the Luocha Sect Leader’s weakness, thought for a moment, put away her sleeve dagger, and slowly headed toward the city gate.

In plain clothes with flowing sleeves, without makeup, her back figure appeared gentle and harmless.

Sect Leader Yu looked at those who had come to capture the Jinyiwei Commander’s weakness, fell silent for a moment, stood in front of the thatched hut, frowned, and clutched his chest with a light cough.

Dressed in splendor, he appeared weak and frail, even the original ruddy color of his lips fading from his coughing.

…….

The people sent by the Luocha Sect weren’t as insignificant as Yu Luocha had claimed. At least according to intelligence, this withered old woman called Granny Gu was known beyond the passes for raising poisonous insects, snakes, and ants, with extremely cruel methods.

“So you’re such a fresh young girl, no wonder even that emotionless Luocha would care about you,” Granny Gu’s hand gripping the cane was withered like a skeleton, and what looked like a wooden cane appeared to flash an ominous crimson upon closer inspection.

At this moment, Yan Hongyin was not the Jinyiwei Commander, but a doctor skilled in medicine and poisons, the golden branch and jade leaf Grand Princess of the current dynasty.

She coldly looked at the group blocking her path, her eyebrows slightly raised.

Just then, she heard the sound of a bell coming from not far away.

Three long rings, one short, then like pearls of various sizes falling on a jade plate with urgency. As Granny Gu’s group became secretly vigilant, the suddenly ringing bells eerily returned to silence and disappeared.

No one noticed that Yan Hongyin, who had been standing opposite them, looked confused for a moment.

She frowned slightly, blinked, seeming somewhat puzzled, but quickly lowered her eyelids to cover the emotions in her eyes, her fingers exploring inside her sleeve to touch the light crossbow on her left forearm.

…….

These masked men in black clothes had a very clear target, heading straight for Yu Luocha.

Yu Luocha offered no resistance, allowing them to take him away. But halfway through their journey, before they could say anything, a dark figure darted out from the forest’s edge—dressed in a Jinyiwei uniform with a mask covering their face, wearing the flying fish robe, and carrying an embroidered spring blade at the waist.

Just as Yu Luocha was about to say something, he saw the person draw the sword from their waist and strike directly at his vital points!

“Who are you?!”

The black-clothed men who had initially captured Yu Luocha were startled. The lead black-clothed man blocked the descending blade, while the others drew their weapons aiming at the newcomer, with killing intent erupting in an instant.

Disguised as the frail but calm Loulan High Priest, Yu Luocha stood with his hands tucked away, protected in the middle of these black-clothed men, quite appropriately coughing twice.

Suddenly, Yu Luocha’s expression froze.

……Wait, did that Jinyiwei just roll their eyes at him?

The newcomer’s martial skills were clearly superior to these black-clothed men, and their style was decisive and efficient. The embroidered spring blade mercilessly cut down the Jinyiwei traitors, and finally, holding the blood-dripping sword, they slowly approached Yu Luocha.

Feeling that something seemed quite wrong, Yu Luocha thought: “……”

This was somewhat… different from what Ah Yin had told him?

The Jinyiwei opposite showed no intention of speaking with him. Instead, a sword thrust out, instantly closing the distance with Yu Luocha by several feet, the sword tip aiming straight for Yu Luocha’s throat!

This wasn’t meant to capture him—they truly wanted his life!

Yu Luocha’s eyes became solemn. His footwork shifted as he turned sideways, sliding away from the embroidered spring blade. The sharp blade cut off the gold ornaments on his shoulder that had been thrown out from his movement, which fell to the ground with a clatter and rolled in various directions.

Having missed the first strike, a second one followed. Unlike Yan Hongyin’s embroidered spring blade which aimed for vital points with each move, this person’s sword technique, though swift as lightning, contained a continuous internal force in its movements that made it impossible for those under the sword to predict where the next strike would land.

But Yu Luocha soon knew where!

The person’s sword became faster, their movements more mysterious, almost forcing Yu Luocha into a position with no retreat.

Under the overwhelming sword light, Yu Luocha recognized those eyes behind the mask in this familiar pressure.

Different from Yan Hongyin’s almond-shaped eyes, these eyes had slightly upturned corners with a hint of charm, yet at first glance were extremely similar to Yan Hongyin’s.

Yu Luocha frowned, using his foot to flip up a weapon dropped by one of the black-clothed men, grasping it to block the embroidered spring blade that was truly cutting down amidst the sword shadows.

“Senior, what are you doing?” he lowered his voice, his mouth twitching.

But a black shadow flashed, accompanied by a moonlight-like sword gleam in the night, as the Jinyiwei in the flying fish robe thrust directly at Yu Luocha!

Yu Luocha finally understood. Wang Lianhua’s disguise and sword technique would be extremely difficult to distinguish from Yan Hongyin’s for anyone unfamiliar with her.

But, the earlier question remained—what was this all about?

Wang Lianhua did not answer, only continuing to attack Yu Luocha, his lips pressed into a line beneath the mask, suppressing an extremely displeased anger.

Suddenly, the sword’s edge strangely retracted. Just as Yu Luocha was secretly on guard, a flat, seemingly clumsy move was pushed out, with hidden force within the technique that bounced back all of Yu Luocha’s counterattacks. Yu Luocha couldn’t dodge in time, and the sword’s energy edge cut across his chest, leaving a crimson sword mark.

Though not bleeding, it crossed directly over his chest, extremely dangerous.

The two now stood in the deserted forest. Wang Lianhua stood on dry branches, while Yu Luocha stood by a tree trunk.

“Your reactions aren’t bad,” Wang Lianhua’s voice was also extremely similar to Yan Hongyin’s when she was acting as the Jinyiwei Commander, with some regret in his tone for not cutting Yu Luocha’s face.

Yu Luocha now realized that Yan Hongyin and Wang Lianhua must have agreed on some plan they were keeping from him. His brows furrowed.

“Were you present when she removed the Mind Capturing Technique from Long Xiaoyun?”

To be honest, Yu Luocha didn’t have much respect for Wang Lianhua as a martial arts senior, since neither of them was a righteous hero. All his respect and tolerance stemmed from the fact that this person was Yan Hongyin’s biological father.

“I was,” Yu Luocha answered, a strange premonition rising in his mind. “She said only someone of higher level could suppress one who had learned the Mind Capturing Technique.”

In the darkness, Wang Lianhua stood in his flying fish uniform at a height, sheathing his sword and tossing a set of jade, coreless bells to Yu Luocha.

“I sealed part of her memory. The wedding can be postponed, but she cannot be away for too long. There’s only one chance; you don’t have much time. Also, stay away from the capital during this period.”

Yu Luocha caught the string of bells that made no sound when shaken due to having no cores, his expression turning ugly.

Wang Lianhua had already given a very clear hint.

He had used the Mind Capturing Technique on Ah Yin—throughout the world, only Wang Lianhua, who had created the Mind Capturing Technique and reached the Great Perfection realm, could achieve this.

Wait—Ah Yin was now facing Granny Gu from the Luocha Sect, known for her sinister poison and insect techniques!

Although he didn’t know which memories had been sealed in Ah Yin, but…

Yu Luocha gripped his sword hilt, his face turning icy cold, immediately turning to rush toward Yan Hongyin’s direction.

Behind him, Wang Lianhua silently watched Yu Luocha’s silhouette disappear into the night. After a long while, a sigh-laden sentence drifted down lightly.

“She couldn’t give you the Jinyiwei’s bottom line… but wanted to give you all of Yan Hongyin.”

……

When Yu Luocha finally found the place with signs of fighting after several leaps with his lightness skill, Yan Hongyin was standing in the middle of black-clothed men lying askew on the ground, with several snakes and insects still writhing nearby.

She was slightly lifting her robe hems, her face full of displeasure.

From a distance, Yu Luocha saw the bloodstains on Yan Hongyin’s robe hem, and his pupils suddenly contracted.

“Ah Yin! Where are you injured?!”

Yu Luocha turned in mid-air and landed in front of Yan Hongyin, reaching out to check her injuries.

But Yan Hongyin stepped back, looking at Yu Luocha warily.

Recently, the palace had been seething with undercurrents due to the princes’ struggle for succession, and there had been quite a few villains approaching her with ill intentions.

However, this person before her was dressed in the style of the Western Regions beyond the passes, in black with gold and green interspersed—he should be a noble prince from the Western Regions—ah yes, the Loulan High Priest who had come to the capital seeking marriage days ago!

Yu Luocha was stunned for a moment, then remembered Yan Hongyin’s current state…

“You…”

“Are you the Western Regions prince consort that Father Emperor selected for me?” Yan Hongyin’s expression was cold and self-contained, but her eyes quickly flashed with curiosity and amazement. “You’re quite late.”

The man before her had broad shoulders and a narrow waist, with an upright posture. His slightly curled long hair was adorned with gold ornaments, and his glassy azure eyes were like rare treasures—this was truly a pleasing appearance.

Yu Luocha didn’t immediately understand and stumbled along with Yan Hongyin’s words. “I… am? Sorry… there were people chasing me too…”

“Mm.” Yan Hongyin nodded, accepting Yu Luocha’s explanation, but she didn’t let him check her ankle. Instead, she said in a displeased tone. “I wasn’t injured, I just stepped on a snake that person released—I wasn’t careful and she escaped.”

That withered old woman’s ability to control insects was quite good, but those snakes and insects were really stupid and could easily be misdirected with powder, turning on those who had come to kidnap her.

Looking at the Yan Hongyin before him who seemed cold but had lively eyes and a straightforward character, Yu Luocha suddenly understood.

Yan Hongyin had Wang Lianhua use the Mind Capturing Technique to seal all her memories of becoming a Jinyiwei, and perhaps even fabricated some memories as fillers.

Standing before Yu Luocha now was Yan Hongyin as a royal Grand Princess, Yan Hongyin with her medical and poison skills… a pure Yan Hongyin without the bindings of right and wrong.

Yu Luocha’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he lowered his eyelids, also understanding why Yan Hongyin had asked him in the thatched hut what kind of wedding he wanted.

…Mutual love, understanding…

He composed himself and raised his eyes again to meet the curious gaze of the woman before him. Yu Luocha curved his lips into a smile, his voice low and husky, carrying an indescribable seductive quality. “Your Highness, would you like to pursue her?”

Yan Hongyin raised an eyebrow. “Can you manage that?”

Yu Luocha stepped forward, reached out and embraced her, without further words lifting Yan Hongyin with one hand and setting her to sit on his shoulder.

“How’s that?”

Outside the pass, when men of foreign tribes met girls they admired, they would place their beloved girls firmly on their shoulders in front of the bonfire, leaping up to meet the rising sparks, declaring their mutual affection to all present.

Yu Luocha had wanted to do this for a long time, but never had the chance—the previous Yan Hongyin would not have given him such an opportunity.

But now, he could.

Yan Hongyin’s pupils constricted for a moment due to the suddenly elevated view, but soon, she crossed her legs to stabilize herself. As Yu Luocha’s form rose and fell, gliding ghostlike through the air, she felt the wind brushing past her ears, her eyes growing increasingly bright, her fingers threading into Yu Luocha’s smooth hair, answering his earlier question with the urging motion of her hand.

The withered old woman fled more frantically when she heard the movement behind her, but Yu Luocha always remained behind her, maintaining the posture of a predator driving its prey, neither too far nor too close.

Yu Luocha steadily supported Yan Hongyin’s body, his voice lazy with a hint of laughter. “Can you aim?”

Yan Hongyin raised her hand, her sleeve falling back to reveal the cold gleam of a light crossbow. Almost without thinking, she instinctively loaded an arrow, closed one eye, and pressed the mechanism button toward the moving black shadow ahead.

The whizzing sound through the air ended with the old woman’s piercing scream after being hit. Yu Luocha knew without approaching that the arrow had pierced directly through the old woman’s left chest.

There was only one arrow in the light crossbow. Yan Hongyin detached the mechanism from her forearm, held it in her hand to examine for a while, her voice calm and certain. “It seems I am quite skilled with such things.”

Yu Luocha suppressed a laugh and agreed. “Yes, Your Highness indeed has…cough, quite a talent.”

“By the way, Father Emperor said you will be returning to Loulan, and since this is an alliance marriage, our wedding should also be in Loulan,” Yan Hongyin looked down at Yu Luocha. “When do we depart?”

Having not received this script, Yu Luocha was momentarily taken aback, then quickly responded, his eyes burning with intense emotion, carrying fragments of light that had crossed the vast wilderness.

“Immediately.”

He alighted on a protruding rock, gently setting Yan Hongyin down to stand steadily. His hands gripping her shoulders couldn’t help but tighten as he gazed into those pure, cold eyes.

The moon-white jade claps visible in their hair gleamed with a deep blue light in the moonlight.

“Ah Yin, I want to—take you back to Loulan.”

****

Outside a certain mansion in the capital, Hua Manlou and Ximen Chuixue received separate letters and looked at each other in bewilderment.

The carriage to send them away was already waiting outside the city.

Putting away the letters written to them individually, although the two youngsters didn’t know what had happened, the two adults had clearly planned their departure, which was why they had already passed on their internal energy techniques and secret manuals in Jinling, and had brought them to practice for some time.

Hua Manlou smiled, tilting his head slightly, saying, “Well, it seems I’ll have to take all the medicinal herbs from the backyard with me.”

Ximen Chuixue also, quite rarely, tugged at the corner of his lips. “Only you can keep those delicate things alive.”

“Plants and flowers naturally need care,” Hua Manlou said with gentle eyes. “You know, I enjoy doing these things.”

The two rose and walked toward the mansion’s exterior. Hua Manlou heard Ximen Chuixue close the main door, and also heard the bustling sounds from the capital’s streets.

The two walked side by side toward the city gate, chatting sporadically.

“Mas—Aunt Yan’s letter says we must not return to Jinling, nor tell others about our mentors in the future.”

“Yes, but Jinling isn’t far from Lin’an Prefecture, and Aunt Yan seems to visit Lin’an frequently, so perhaps we’ll see her again. I’m just a bit disappointed; I thought we could attend Aunt Yan and Uncle Yu’s wedding banquet. Earlier today I heard that His Majesty had delayed the wedding date…”

“There will be opportunities. She dotes on him so much, we’ll certainly have chances in the future. The south… suits you well.”

“The north… doesn’t seem suitable for flowers and plants, but I’ve heard the plum blossoms there bloom with great character, which would suit you.”

“Plum blossoms? I understand, I’ll try.”

“Then I’ll also help my Big Brother and Aunt Yan grow some rare medicinal herbs.”

But this not-so-long journey would eventually come to an end. Passing through the city gate, two carriages waited on the left and right.

One would return to the warm, flower-filled Jiangnan, while the other would head to the cold, snowy northern frontier.

They stood facing each other and spoke in unison:

“You’ll know where to find me.”

“You’ll know where to find me.”

Then they both smiled simultaneously.

—When we become known in the jianghu in the future, you’ll know where to find me.

“Until we meet again.”

Ximen Chuixue gripped the long sword at his side, as if making a promise.

Hua Manlou finally approached Ximen Chuixue and gently embraced this older brother.

“Until we meet again.”