Chapter 11: Departure

In the morning, everyone was busy making final checks to ensure nothing was forgotten before they set off. Just as they were finishing, Dr. Zhou arrived.

After greeting Dr. Zhou, Lin Luoluo waited until Lin Da and the others finished checking everything and confirmed there was nothing left behind. Then, she took her brother, sister, and Chun Tao onto the carriage.

The caravan slowly made its way out of Yancheng, heading south.

“This brat, how come there’s no news at all? I already told him in the letter that his little princess is in Yancheng. Why hasn’t he responded?”

“Forget it, I’ve already informed him. He can’t blame me for not reporting from now on. Heh heh…”

Dr. Zhou muttered to himself, then leaned back on his horse and closed his eyes to rest.

Meanwhile, at the Prince of Yu’s residence in the capital, Chu Chenyu was drunk again. Still dazed, he opened the letter delivered by his guard, just as Murong Qingxue entered.

“Ah Yu! You’re drunk again! Are you really going to keep doing this for her?” Murong Qingxue snatched the wine bottle from Chu Chenyu’s hand.

“Give it back!” Chu Chenyu reached out to snatch it back, causing the letter in his hand to fall.

Murong Qingxue glanced at it, and when she saw “Lin Luoluo” written on it, her pupils contracted. As Chu Chenyu leaned down to pick it up, she threw the bottle at the letter, instantly soaking it in wine.

When Chu Chenyu pulled the letter from the broken pieces, the writing was smeared beyond recognition.

“Get out!” Chu Chenyu shouted angrily.

“You yell at me? You’re shouting at me over a letter?” Murong Qingxue cried, her voice breaking. “After all these years, you can’t forget a dead Lin Luoluo? Chu Chenyu, do you even have a heart?”

“Sorry, Qingxue, I shouldn’t have yelled at you. Go back now, let me be alone for a while.” Seeing her tears, Chu Chenyu’s heart softened.

“I won’t go,” Murong Qingxue sobbed, throwing herself into his arms.

“Qingxue, let go,” Chu Chenyu tried to push her away.

“Ah Yu, don’t send me away. Let me be your woman, okay? Lin Luoluo is gone, and your mansion needs a mistress. I don’t ask for all your love, just a little bit will do. Please, I beg you.” Murong Qingxue pleaded, throwing aside all her pride.

“Qingxue, don’t do this. You’re such a good person; you don’t need to do this for me. You deserve better.”

Chu Chenyu inhaled the scent of Murong Qingxue, feeling his body gradually heat up as his vision blurred.

Slowly, the person in his arms began to transform into Lin Luoluo.

“Luoluo, you’ve come back,” Chu Chenyu reached out to touch her face.

Murong Qingxue’s heart skipped a beat. Looks like the effects of the medicine are kicking in. Forgive me for using this method to get you.

She then wrapped her arms around Chu Chenyu’s neck and kissed him.

---

Back with Lin Luoluo, everyone had been traveling all morning and stopped at a shady spot to rest. Though it was late in the year, it was still a bit warm at noon.

Huzi and the others began cooking, while Lin Yi and the others went to gather firewood.

Lin Luoluo handed out some fruits from her space. Dr. Zhou took one, bit into it, and his eyes lit up. He looked at Lin Luoluo eagerly.

“Girl, do you have more? Can I have a few more?”

Lin Luoluo went back to the carriage and returned with more than ten fruits, handing them to Dr. Zhou.

“I have plenty more. Once you finish these, come find me. But even though these fruits are delicious, don’t eat too many. If you upset your stomach, don’t blame me. Got it?”

“Got it, got it. You talk too much, girl,” Dr. Zhou waved his hand impatiently.

Taking advantage of Dr. Zhou not paying attention, Lin Luoluo leaned in and stared into his eyes without blinking.

“Old man, do you recognize me?”

“Cough… cough… yes, yes! We’re acquainted now, aren’t we?” Dr. Zhou pretended not to understand.

“Keep pretending. The wedding banquet at the Prince of Yu’s residence—need I say more?”

Lin Luoluo suddenly remembered the scene from the wedding banquet at the Prince of Yu’s residence. The original owner had pulled off her veil to see better, and she saw Dr. Zhou among the guests in the original owner’s memory.

“I don’t care whether you truly don’t know, or if you’re pretending, but you better keep your mouth shut. If you dare tell Chu Chenyu I’m still alive, I’ll break your bones and pull out all your beard, and you won’t get any more fruits.”

“Hmph…” Lin Luoluo narrowed her eyes and made a gesture as if to cut her throat. As she left, she didn’t forget to pull out a strand of his beard.

“Ah!” Dr. Zhou rubbed the spot where his beard had been pulled out, furiously puffing his cheeks.

Damn… damn girl, how dare she pull out my precious beard… sniff…

He took another bite of the fruit, as though it was Lin Luoluo, to vent his frustration.

Forget it, for the sake of the brat, I won’t argue with you.

Soon, the food was ready, and the air was filled with the delicious scent of meat.

Dr. Zhou sniffed the air. “Smells so good!” His stomach responded with a loud growl.

“Changqing.”

With a glance from Dr. Zhou, Gu Changqing understood what his master wanted.

“Master, I’ll get it now.” Gu Changqing got up and went to where Huzi and the others were cooking. Soon, he returned with a bowl of meat porridge and a small dish of side dishes.

“Master, eat first. I’ll get my bowl later,” Gu Changqing said before running off.

The two large pots of meat porridge were quickly finished. After resting for another quarter of an hour, they packed up and continued their journey.

---

In the evening, at the Prince of Yu’s residence, urgent knocking came at the door of Chu Chenyu’s room.

Knock knock knock… knock knock knock, Your Highness, Your Highness… The guard Liuyun was frantic, pacing back and forth, but didn’t dare to enter, afraid of seeing something he shouldn’t. So he kept knocking and calling out.

“Mm~ ahh~” Chu Chenyu woke up with a splitting headache from the knocking. He sat up and rubbed his temples to ease the pain.

His eyes landed on a figure in his bed, and his mind went blank. His body stiffened, and after a moment, his memories returned. Chu Chenyu’s eyes filled with conflict and complicated emotions.

“Your Highness… Your Highness…” The urgent knocking continued outside.

“Forget it. I know you’re awake. Since this is what you want, for the sake of our years together, I’ll grant it, but only this once.” Chu Chenyu said, dressing quickly, getting up, and opening the door.

“What is it?”

“Your Highness, there’s an urgent summons from the palace,” Liuyun said as he saw Chu Chenyu step out.

“Let’s go!” Chu Chenyu hastily left for the palace with Liuyun.

After they left, Murong Qingxue opened her eyes. She was now crying uncontrollably. She had known this would be the outcome, yet she had loved him without holding back.

As long as I can be yours, even if I can only watch from a distance, Qingxue will be satisfied. Maybe we’ll still have a bond through bloodline.

For the past two months, she had been letting the imperial doctor treat her body, preparing herself to easily conceive before coming here.

Chapter 11: Departure

In the morning, everyone was busy making final checks to ensure nothing was forgotten before they set off. Just as they were finishing, Dr. Zhou arrived.

After greeting Dr. Zhou, Lin Luoluo waited until Lin Da and the others finished checking everything and confirmed there was nothing left behind. Then, she took her brother, sister, and Chun Tao onto the carriage.

The caravan slowly made its way out of Yancheng, heading south.

“This brat, how come there’s no news at all? I already told him in the letter that his little princess is in Yancheng. Why hasn’t he responded?”

“Forget it, I’ve already informed him. He can’t blame me for not reporting from now on. Heh heh…”

Dr. Zhou muttered to himself, then leaned back on his horse and closed his eyes to rest.

Meanwhile, at the Prince of Yu’s residence in the capital, Chu Chenyu was drunk again. Still dazed, he opened the letter delivered by his guard, just as Murong Qingxue entered.

“Ah Yu! You’re drunk again! Are you really going to keep doing this for her?” Murong Qingxue snatched the wine bottle from Chu Chenyu’s hand.

“Give it back!” Chu Chenyu reached out to snatch it back, causing the letter in his hand to fall.

Murong Qingxue glanced at it, and when she saw “Lin Luoluo” written on it, her pupils contracted. As Chu Chenyu leaned down to pick it up, she threw the bottle at the letter, instantly soaking it in wine.

When Chu Chenyu pulled the letter from the broken pieces, the writing was smeared beyond recognition.

“Get out!” Chu Chenyu shouted angrily.

“You yell at me? You’re shouting at me over a letter?” Murong Qingxue cried, her voice breaking. “After all these years, you can’t forget a dead Lin Luoluo? Chu Chenyu, do you even have a heart?”

“Sorry, Qingxue, I shouldn’t have yelled at you. Go back now, let me be alone for a while.” Seeing her tears, Chu Chenyu’s heart softened.

“I won’t go,” Murong Qingxue sobbed, throwing herself into his arms.

“Qingxue, let go,” Chu Chenyu tried to push her away.

“Ah Yu, don’t send me away. Let me be your woman, okay? Lin Luoluo is gone, and your mansion needs a mistress. I don’t ask for all your love, just a little bit will do. Please, I beg you.” Murong Qingxue pleaded, throwing aside all her pride.

“Qingxue, don’t do this. You’re such a good person; you don’t need to do this for me. You deserve better.”

Chu Chenyu inhaled the scent of Murong Qingxue, feeling his body gradually heat up as his vision blurred.

Slowly, the person in his arms began to transform into Lin Luoluo.

“Luoluo, you’ve come back,” Chu Chenyu reached out to touch her face.

Murong Qingxue’s heart skipped a beat. Looks like the effects of the medicine are kicking in. Forgive me for using this method to get you.

She then wrapped her arms around Chu Chenyu’s neck and kissed him.

---

Back with Lin Luoluo, everyone had been traveling all morning and stopped at a shady spot to rest. Though it was late in the year, it was still a bit warm at noon.

Huzi and the others began cooking, while Lin Yi and the others went to gather firewood.

Lin Luoluo handed out some fruits from her space. Dr. Zhou took one, bit into it, and his eyes lit up. He looked at Lin Luoluo eagerly.

“Girl, do you have more? Can I have a few more?”

Lin Luoluo went back to the carriage and returned with more than ten fruits, handing them to Dr. Zhou.

“I have plenty more. Once you finish these, come find me. But even though these fruits are delicious, don’t eat too many. If you upset your stomach, don’t blame me. Got it?”

“Got it, got it. You talk too much, girl,” Dr. Zhou waved his hand impatiently.

Taking advantage of Dr. Zhou not paying attention, Lin Luoluo leaned in and stared into his eyes without blinking.

“Old man, do you recognize me?”

“Cough… cough… yes, yes! We’re acquainted now, aren’t we?” Dr. Zhou pretended not to understand.

“Keep pretending. The wedding banquet at the Prince of Yu’s residence—need I say more?”

Lin Luoluo suddenly remembered the scene from the wedding banquet at the Prince of Yu’s residence. The original owner had pulled off her veil to see better, and she saw Dr. Zhou among the guests in the original owner’s memory.

“I don’t care whether you truly don’t know, or if you’re pretending, but you better keep your mouth shut. If you dare tell Chu Chenyu I’m still alive, I’ll break your bones and pull out all your beard, and you won’t get any more fruits.”

“Hmph…” Lin Luoluo narrowed her eyes and made a gesture as if to cut her throat. As she left, she didn’t forget to pull out a strand of his beard.

“Ah!” Dr. Zhou rubbed the spot where his beard had been pulled out, furiously puffing his cheeks.

Damn… damn girl, how dare she pull out my precious beard… sniff…

He took another bite of the fruit, as though it was Lin Luoluo, to vent his frustration.

Forget it, for the sake of the brat, I won’t argue with you.

Soon, the food was ready, and the air was filled with the delicious scent of meat.

Dr. Zhou sniffed the air. “Smells so good!” His stomach responded with a loud growl.

“Changqing.”

With a glance from Dr. Zhou, Gu Changqing understood what his master wanted.

“Master, I’ll get it now.” Gu Changqing got up and went to where Huzi and the others were cooking. Soon, he returned with a bowl of meat porridge and a small dish of side dishes.

“Master, eat first. I’ll get my bowl later,” Gu Changqing said before running off.

The two large pots of meat porridge were quickly finished. After resting for another quarter of an hour, they packed up and continued their journey.

---

In the evening, at the Prince of Yu’s residence, urgent knocking came at the door of Chu Chenyu’s room.

Knock knock knock… knock knock knock, Your Highness, Your Highness… The guard Liuyun was frantic, pacing back and forth, but didn’t dare to enter, afraid of seeing something he shouldn’t. So he kept knocking and calling out.

“Mm~ ahh~” Chu Chenyu woke up with a splitting headache from the knocking. He sat up and rubbed his temples to ease the pain.

His eyes landed on a figure in his bed, and his mind went blank. His body stiffened, and after a moment, his memories returned. Chu Chenyu’s eyes filled with conflict and complicated emotions.

“Your Highness… Your Highness…” The urgent knocking continued outside.

“Forget it. I know you’re awake. Since this is what you want, for the sake of our years together, I’ll grant it, but only this once.” Chu Chenyu said, dressing quickly, getting up, and opening the door.

“What is it?”

“Your Highness, there’s an urgent summons from the palace,” Liuyun said as he saw Chu Chenyu step out.

“Let’s go!” Chu Chenyu hastily left for the palace with Liuyun.

After they left, Murong Qingxue opened her eyes. She was now crying uncontrollably. She had known this would be the outcome, yet she had loved him without holding back.

As long as I can be yours, even if I can only watch from a distance, Qingxue will be satisfied. Maybe we’ll still have a bond through bloodline.

For the past two months, she had been letting the imperial doctor treat her body, preparing herself to easily conceive before coming here.