Chapter 173: The Subtle Intrigues of Tea
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You Bing Yue, wary of having her credit stolen, immediately declared her intent to return to Sheng’s Capital without delay.
Du Zi Heng and the others, however, suggested resting for the night before setting out.
After all, they had traveled a long distance that day and had been frightened by the eerie events in the village. If the village had been remotely suitable for sleeping, they might have collapsed there earlier out of sheer exhaustion. Additionally, both Ou Yang Shuo and Li Chang Huai were injured and in need of rest. Even their horses were fatigued.
Du Zi Heng broke it all down patiently, explaining the rationale, but You Bing Yue dismissed his reasoning. She curtly suggested that Ou Yang Shuo and Li Chang Huai head to the nearby town to recover while she, Du Zi Heng, and Liu Fei Yang escorted Cao Yao Zu back to Sheng’s Capital.
“To prevent any unforeseen complications, it’s absolutely necessary for Bing Yue to return first,” Ou Yang Shuo suddenly chimed in.
He agreed with You Bing Yue’s urgency, suspecting that Yu Zhi Yi was racing back to claim the credit. Such blatant ambition from that “backroad” upstart could not be allowed.
With even the injured party supporting her, Du Zi Heng found himself unable to argue further. Thus, the three mounted their horses and rode swiftly towards Sheng’s Capital, taking Cao Yao Zu with them.
You Bing Yue had supreme confidence in her riding skills. During a mission in her past life, one of her targets had a peculiar preference for women skilled in equestrianism. As a result, she had rigorously trained in horseback riding and now considered herself better than ninety percent of people in this era. She was sure she would soon catch up to Yu Zhi Yi, who, despite her dabbling in some esoteric skills, surely had little time to refine her riding.
Her lips curved into a smirk. Soon enough…
However, as dawn began to break, her prized steed collapsed with a resounding thud. Annoyed, she cursed her luck under her breath.
Liu Fei Yang’s horse was also nearing its limit, the strain of carrying an extra person leaving it weak and barely breathing. Only Du Zi Heng’s horse still seemed vigorous.
Liu Fei Yang, panting heavily, marveled as he examined Du Zi Heng’s mount. “We all set out together, so how is Brother You Lin’s horse still so lively?”
Du Zi Heng could only shrug, equally mystified.
Strangely, not only was his horse unaffected by the grueling ride, but Du Zi Heng himself felt remarkably fresh compared to his companions. In contrast, You Bing Yue and the others, having ridden hard through the night without pause, appeared pale and visibly weary.
Liu Fei Yang couldn’t help but remark, “As expected, someone who resides with a Daoist is just on another level from us mere mortals.”
Du Zi Heng’s expression softened into a shy smile, but his mood shifted when his gaze flickered toward You Bing Yue. His face darkened as he quickly glanced away.
You Bing Yue, her expression icy, said nothing, her thoughts hidden beneath her cold demeanor. After a pause, she broke her silence.
“Young Master Du, may I borrow your horse?” she asked abruptly.
Liu Fei Yang blinked in surprise. “What?”
Du Zi Heng, too, was momentarily taken aback. “But…”
You Bing Yue’s expression shifted, a flicker of melancholy crossing her face. “Forget it,” she murmured. “We’re merely ordinary friends now. It’s indeed inappropriate. I didn’t mean anything else; I’m just eager to deliver the mission report.”
As though realizing she had said too much, she quickly bit her lip and glanced awkwardly at Du Zi Heng. “Young Master Du, you should go on ahead. There’s a town not far from here; it’s about a two-quarter-hour walk. Don’t worry about me. I’m strong and swift on foot. I’ll catch up quickly, and buying a horse later won’t be an issue.”
Du Zi Heng hesitated for a long moment, torn between options, before finally clenching his teeth and making a decision. “You’re a woman traveling on foot through these desolate lands. It’s too dangerous. Take my horse instead. As for me, I’ll walk with the Crown Prince of Yunnan, and we’ll meet you at the town.”
A glimmer of satisfaction flickered in You Bing Yue’s heart, though she feigned embarrassment on her face. “That wouldn’t be right…”
Despite her words, she showed no hesitation in her actions. Taking the reins without delay, she added, “Well, everyone’s tired. I won’t stand on ceremony. I’ll go on ahead. You should hurry and catch up.”
With that, she hoisted Cao Yao Zu onto the saddle, cracked the whip, and rode off without looking back.
Watching the horse disappear into the distance, Liu Fei Yang raised an eyebrow, his expression tinged with amusement. “Miss You is certainly… an extraordinary person.”
When he first met You Bing Yue a few days ago, he thought her unlike most women—bold and unrestrained. Coupled with the tragic impression of someone who had lost her beloved, it was easy to feel a certain sympathy for her and an unspoken resentment toward Yu Zhi Yi.
But after spending time with her over the past two days, Liu Fei Yang began to suspect that “unrestrained” was not the right word for her behavior. Many of her actions seemed more akin to those of a bandit.
Moreover, her words often carried a hint of manipulative charm.
As the Crown Prince of Yunnan, Liu Fei Yang had encountered all manner of women. He was no stranger to the hidden schemes of the inner court.
So, when he heard You Bing Yue’s subtly barbed remarks the previous night, the illusion of her tragic plight shattered completely.
Seeing Du Zi Heng dutifully give away his horse, Liu Fei Yang glanced at him with a faintly mocking smile. “Young Master Du, you are truly a chivalrous man. This prince admires you.” His tone shifted as he added, “However, my horse has also been through a long night and is on the verge of collapse. I won’t trouble you to join me, lest it dies on the road.”
With a sharp crack of his whip, Liu Fei Yang spurred his horse forward, leaving Du Zi Heng standing there in silence.
Du Zi Heng: “…”
Yu Zhi Yi had no knowledge of what transpired after her departure.
She urged her horse onward relentlessly, pausing only twice along the way to let it graze. Finally, she reached Sheng Capital just before the city gates were locked for the night.
Li Rou, surprised to see her return so quickly, greeted her with astonishment, “Miss, why have you returned so soon? Have you eaten yet? You look travel-worn. I’ll go fetch hot water for you.”
“I haven’t eaten yet. Thank you for your trouble,” Yu Zhi Yi replied, her voice laced with fatigue.
Indeed, she was utterly spent.
In all her years, she had never been so physically taxed. While she was no stranger to sleepless nights spent in cultivation, such efforts improved her spiritual power, leaving her refreshed and invigorated, rather than drained.
After a simple meal and quick freshening up, Yu Zhi Yi collapsed onto her bed, falling into a deep slumber without a second thought for her so-called husband, left behind hundreds of miles away.
She had already resolved herself to a certain decision long before she returned.
…
Meanwhile, far away, another figure struggled through the night. You Bing Yue arrived outside Sheng Capital that same day.
Unfortunately, the city gates had already been locked. She had considered demanding entry, but before she could approach, a voice called down from the walls, warning her that unauthorized persons during lockdown hours would be treated as spies.
The warning was accompanied by two menacing longbows pointed in her direction.
Furious but helpless, You Bing Yue fumed inwardly. “Had I known, I wouldn’t have pushed through the night!” she thought bitterly.
She had exhausted two fine horses to reach her destination, only to be denied entry at the final moment. With no other choice, she settled down outside the city gates, resigned to waiting until morning.
That night, You Bing Yue leaned against a large tree some distance from the gates, her eyes closed in forced rest. As the temperature dropped, she knew sleep in such conditions was impossible; a night exposed to the elements could easily leave her unwell.
Her strong will kept her vigilant, but inexplicably, she still drifted off.
When she awoke at dawn, her eyes were shadowed with dark circles. She had been tormented by a terrible dream.
In the nightmare, a child of no more than five screamed at her with piercing accusations, “You are not my mother!”
A grotesque man’s hands tightened around her throat, blaming her for his wife’s death.
And an eerie, elderly couple stood by, their chilling gazes brimming with hatred, watching it all unfold in silence.