Chapter 45

“He Mr. Shi, Shen Yu stopped her steps, “There’s no one here, so go ahead and say whatever you need to say.”

He Xuehui turned around, her hands clasped together, “We’ll be entering Shengjing tomorrow.”

“Yes,” Shen Yu smiled, “Thank you to everyone from the escort agency for accompanying me along the way. I will settle the remaining payment with you tomorrow.”

He Xuehui frowned, “I didn’t mean to talk about that.”

Shen Yu wasn’t a naive little girl. She could tell from He Xuehui’s expression that she had something on her mind.

But she couldn’t say it directly, so she could only wait for He Xuehui to speak up herself.

He Xuehui hesitated for a moment before saying, “Has Mr. Shi gotten married yet?”

Here it comes, Shen Yu sighed inwardly and replied, “Not yet married.”

He Xuehui smiled lightly, turning to the side, “Then, what do you think of me?”

“Mr. Shi is lively and lovely, with a graceful and virtuous heart.”

Hearing Shi Yu’s praise, He Xuehui felt delighted in her heart and took out something, handing it over, “I personally made this. I’m not good at needlework, so please don’t mind, Mr. Shi.”

He Xuehui was originally a carefree person, but now she was pretending to be a gentle lady, which was quite difficult for her.

Shen Yu glanced down and could vaguely see in the moonlight that it was a sachet.

“I can’t accept this.”

He Xuehui’s face immediately fell, “Why?”

Shen Yu said tactfully, “Mr. Shi is very good, but a man should strive for achievements. I currently have no intention of starting a family.”

“I can wait for you,” He Xuehui ignited hope, “I’m still young, we can be engaged first, and get married in a few years.”

Shen Yu was at a loss. Being tactful didn’t work, so she had to be more direct.

She clasped her hands, “To be honest, feelings require mutual affection. I don’t have that kind of intention towards Mr. Shi.”

He Xuehui was stunned, on the verge of tears, “Do you prefer those delicate ladies? Do you look down on me, who wields swords and spears?”

Shen Yu was bewildered. She herself was someone who wielded swords and spears, how could she look down on her?

She wasn’t good at comforting others. She’d better not let others think she was bullying her.

“Don’t cry, how should I say this to you.” She couldn’t tell her that she herself was a woman.

He Xuehui held back her tears, “I understand.”

What do you understand?

He Xuehui continued, “I heard them say you and him, the two of you… Are you truly in love with each other?”

Shen Yu was stunned for a few moments, then reluctantly said, “Yes.”

“Are you lovers?”

“Maybe… yes.”

He Xuehui slammed the sachet against Shen Yu’s chest, “I don’t believe you’re in love with him.”

Shen Yu was about to cry without He Xuehui crying, “Then how can you believe it?”

“You swear!” He Xuehui said arrogantly.

Shen Yu thought for a moment. She definitely couldn’t swear that she and Xie Tingzhou were a couple, but there was also not completely no way out.

She raised her hand, “I swear, I only like men.”

He Xuehui stared at her dumbfoundedly, for a while, then covered her face in embarrassment and fled.

Shen Yu breathed a sigh of relief, leisurely walked back, but didn’t see Xie Tingzhou’s figure by the campfire.

“Where is he?” She grabbed an escort and asked.

The escort said, “It seems he went to rest in the carriage.”

Sure enough, Shen Yu saw Xie Tingzhou’s figure near the carriage.

He just glanced at her faintly and lifted the curtain to enter.

Shen Yu felt that glance was unusual, but she couldn’t quite decipher what it meant.

It was midnight.

Perhaps it was homesickness, or perhaps it was the tension before the storm, Shen Yu couldn’t sleep.

The guards on duty roasted sweet potatoes in the fire and called her over. The three of them sat around the campfire, surrounded by the sound of snoring.

Suddenly, a low sound came from the wind, like the sound of heavy city gates opening.

Shen Yu turned her head to listen, immediately pressing her ear to the ground.

The ground trembled slightly, and the sound of horse hooves grew closer, sounding like quite a few people.

Torches in the distance formed a line of fire, rapidly approaching in their direction.

Shen Yu immediately climbed onto the carriage. Just as she drew her knife, Xie Tingzhou stopped her.

“It’s Xifeng,” Xie Tingzhou said.

Shen Yu breathed a sigh of relief, got out of the carriage, and the group of people had already arrived nearby in an instant.

“Where’s His Highness?” Xifeng asked.

Shen Yu nodded towards the carriage, “Inside.”

After saying that, she jumped off the carriage and left. Leaving behind Xifeng and his attendants, they needed to leave early, and she still had to settle the accounts.

The group of escorts had long been stunned and kept refusing to accept the money.

Shen Yu insisted on paying the remaining amount, and when she came back, Xie Tingzhou was already sitting on his horse.

“Ready?”

“Ready,” Shen Yu nodded.

She mounted her horse, and the group rode towards the city gate.

“Wait a minute!”

The group stopped their horses and watched as two horses approached, one in front of the other.

He Xuehui stopped nearby, “Shiyu, I have something to say to you.”

Shi Yu glanced at Xie Tingzhou, everyone was waiting for her, she couldn’t delay too long.

“Let’s talk here.”

He Xuehui dropped her previous pretense of being a delicate young girl and spoke straightforwardly, “Mr. Shi, although you have no intention towards me, there are some things I still want to say to you. This road is difficult to travel, and encountering him will make it even harder.”

She glared at Xie Tingzhou angrily, and the guards who came to intercept her were anxiously tugging at her sleeve.

He Xuehui shook him off and said to Xie Tingzhou, “Although you are of noble status, you must not abandon Shiyu midway.”

Shen Yu just wanted to cover her mouth now. Who knew He Xuehui had such nerve to say such things to Xie Tingzhou in public.

She quickly gestured to He Xuehui, “Miss He, this idiom must not be used lightly.”

“Is that so?” He Xuehui paused for a moment, “Then you must not abandon Shi Yu midway, otherwise…”

“Your Highness!” Shen Yu hurriedly interrupted, feeling embarrassed, “Let’s enter the city quickly.”

Except for Xifeng, all the guards lowered their heads, feeling like they knew something incredible.

Xie Tingzhou actually laughed. He lowered his eyes slightly, pulled the reins, circled around He Xuehui, and said, “If I abandon him midway, what will you do?”

He Xuehui was angry, “I… I will take him away so you won’t see him again, and I will marry him off to several wives.”

Please shut up! If it weren’t for the unfulfilled vengeance, Shen Yu would want to draw her sword and end her own life now. She had never encountered such a person in her life.

Xie Tingzhou turned his horse’s head, calmly said, “He belongs to me. Whether or not he marries a wife is naturally arranged by me. You don’t need to worry about it.”

With that, he spurred his horse forward, followed by the guards leaving.

Shen Yu bowed to He Xuehui, “Miss He, you really shouldn’t say such things.”

“I know,” He Xuehui said, “I won’t spread it.”

Xie Tingzhou: “Shi Yu!”

“Coming!” Shen Yu hurriedly urged her horse to catch up.