Jiang Huai couldn’t believe it when he was sent back. Was it really just a single sentence from him that made Wang Jin give up the idea?

Was his tongue really that sharp?

Jiang Huai was doubtful, but he didn’t have time to dwell on it for long—Xiao Jingzhao had come to pick him up.

From afar, Jiang Huai spotted Xiao Jingzhao’s figure, and he couldn’t help but quicken his steps. Even though they had only been apart for two days, Jiang Huai realized he missed the other person a little.

“Have you eaten?” Xiao Jingzhao asked.

Jiang Huai shook his head. Xiao Jingzhao had arrived too early; there hadn’t been time to eat at the military camp yet.

“Let’s go. We’ll grab a meal first,” Xiao Jingzhao said, glancing briefly at the distant military camp before turning his gaze back and taking Jiang Huai’s hand to lead him out.

Out of habit, Jiang Huai glanced to the side, only to realize there were no more guards or convicts around. It suddenly struck him—he was no longer part of the exiled group and didn’t have to worry about other people’s stares anymore.

“What are we going to eat? Is there anything good around here…?”

The clear, youthful voice floated out. A tall and a short figure leaned close as they walked, their silhouettes growing farther away.

“General?” A bodyguard had been searching for Wang Jin and finally found him standing on high ground, gazing into the distance. Out of curiosity, the bodyguard followed his line of sight but saw nothing unusual.

“It’s handled,” Wang Jin said, retracting his gaze.

“Everything’s in place,” the bodyguard replied, unable to hold back his curiosity. “General, is there something unusual about that man?”

Wang Jin had ordered him to discreetly stash the exile’s identity records somewhere hard to find—without outright hiding them. The documents were deliberately placed in an inconspicuous gap, where they would seem like they had fallen by accident. Unless someone specifically searched extensively, the information wouldn’t be discovered.

And if it ever came to that, the documents would still be there, giving Wang Jin plausible deniability and keeping him out of trouble.

“Don’t ask what you shouldn’t. Swallow this matter and tell no one,” Wang Jin shot the bodyguard a glare. This particular bodyguard was reliable in all ways but one—he was too curious. Thankfully, he was tight-lipped; otherwise, Wang Jin wouldn’t have entrusted him with the task.

The bodyguard, seeing Wang Jin’s attitude, didn’t dare ask further.

Wang Jin sighed. Yesterday, after Jiang Huai had given his reasoning, Wang Jin had still wanted to keep him in the camp. After all, within the camp, Wang Jin could somewhat look after him. Outside, if something happened to Jiang Huai, help might not come in time.

But then he realized that the camp wasn’t safe either. It housed not just people loyal to the Crown Prince but also those who harbored animosity toward him. Now that the Su family had replaced the Wei family in commanding the border army, if Jiang Huai’s presence was discovered, staying in the camp might bring him more trouble.

Even if Wang Jin wanted to protect Jiang Huai, the Su family’s presence limited how far he could go. Jiang Huai’s status as a convict would make him an easy target.

Compared to this, letting Jiang Huai leave was a better option.

An Yuan Prefecture was vast. Within the camp, the Su family would likely notice Jiang Huai and act against him. But if Jiang Huai was far away, he might escape their notice—or even if he didn’t, their actions against him wouldn’t be as justified.

As for Jiang Huai’s mysterious contact, Wang Jin hadn’t dared investigate immediately, fearing that doing so might expose Jiang Huai. For now, Wang Jin had simply observed from afar, memorizing the man’s face. When the time was right, he would dig deeper.

Having seen the man today, though, Wang Jin felt slightly relieved. Despite the man’s somewhat gloomy demeanor, his features seemed decent, and he got along well with Jiang Huai. That should be enough for now.

…

“Are we really going to eat at an inn?” Jiang Huai hesitated as Xiao Jingzhao led him to the entrance of one.

“You just left the camp today. Consider it a celebration,” Xiao Jingzhao said softly. He had plenty of silver on him. While he usually kept a low profile around Jiang Huai, taking him out for a proper meal this time didn’t seem like a big deal.

Jiang Huai swallowed nervously. Since transmigrating, he’d often been tempted by food but rarely indulged. Most of the time, he only ate to stave off hunger and hadn’t yet had a taste of the era’s true delicacies.

“How much would it cost to eat here?” Although tempted and armed with Xiao Jingzhao’s excuse, Jiang Huai couldn’t forget that redeeming himself from a year of labor had cost a lot of silver. Eating at an inn right after seemed a bit extravagant.

Xiao Jingzhao hadn’t been inside and hadn’t seen the menu, but he was confident the money he brought was enough.

“How about we go in and ask about the prices?” Xiao Jingzhao suggested.

Before Jiang Huai could respond, the waiter at the door overheard their conversation. He glanced at them—Xiao Jingzhao in plain clothes and Jiang Huai looking ragged—and scoffed with disdain.

“Shoo, shoo! Beggars and paupers like you can’t afford to eat here. Don’t block the entrance,” the waiter sneered arrogantly.

Xiao Jingzhao shot the waiter a calm, indifferent glance, which made the waiter’s heart skip a beat.

It was then that the waiter noticed Xiao Jingzhao’s tall, imposing figure. Panicking at the thought of provoking someone who might resort to violence, the waiter instinctively stepped back until he felt safe under the inn’s protection. Realizing he had been intimidated by just a look, he grew angry.

“Looking at me like that? What, planning to hit me? If you’re broke, don’t come here!” he shouted, summoning reinforcements from inside.

“Brother Wei, let’s go,” Jiang Huai said, grabbing Xiao Jingzhao’s hand and speaking loudly enough for the crowd to hear. “With waiters like this, the food here can’t be that great anyway. Besides, if they’re this rude, what’s stopping them from spitting in our food?”

It was mealtime, and several people had been about to enter the inn. Hearing Jiang Huai’s words and seeing the waiter’s aggressive attitude, they hesitated, their appetites suddenly dampened.

Before Jiang Huai’s comment, no one would have thought about the waiter tampering with their food. But once the idea was planted, it was hard not to worry.

Even regular customers, recalling moments when they might have annoyed the waiter, started second-guessing their decision to eat there. A few regulars turned away, choosing other inns instead.

Watching his customers leave, the waiter turned pale, glaring at Jiang Huai as if he wanted to tear a piece of flesh off him. But for now, he had to focus on damage control, rushing to explain to the departing patrons.

Jiang Huai hadn’t expected his words to have such an impact. Seeing the chaos, he quickly pulled Xiao Jingzhao away.

“If you really want to celebrate my release, I’m more interested in getting a bath than food. Is there a bathhouse nearby?” Jiang Huai asked, looking at Xiao Jingzhao. He hadn’t had a proper bath in a long time. Initially, he found it unbearable, but eventually, he’d gotten used to simply wiping down.

Now, with the weather turning colder, the smell wasn’t as noticeable, but Jiang Huai still felt uncomfortable. He figured it was better to spend money on a bath and some cleanliness than on a fancy meal.

Although the cold wasn’t yet unbearable, it would soon be too late for a bath without risking illness.

Xiao Jingzhao hadn’t paid attention to bathhouses before and was momentarily at a loss.

Realizing this, Jiang Huai decided to ask around. Spotting a fabric shop nearby, he approached its entrance, careful not to step inside and dirty the place.

The shopkeeper looked up at the sound of Jiang Huai’s voice and saw a bright, handsome young man smiling warmly. Despite Jiang Huai’s shabby clothes, his demeanor was refined, which made the shopkeeper less inclined to judge him.

Hearing Jiang Huai ask about a bathhouse, the shopkeeper quickly provided directions. It wasn’t far—just across the street.

Jiang Huai thanked him profusely and prepared to head over with Xiao Jingzhao, but Xiao Jingzhao stopped him.

“What’s wrong?” Jiang Huai asked, puzzled.

“Your clothes need replacing,” Xiao Jingzhao said, glancing at Jiang Huai’s outfit.

Jiang Huai looked down and saw his filthy prison uniform, now so dirty that its original form was barely recognizable. If he bathed and put it back on, he’d be dirty again immediately.

“Let’s buy some new clothes,” Jiang Huai decided, though he hesitated over the cost.

Practicality won out. The prison garb could be cleaned and altered for underclothes