Chapter 69: A Morning of Revelations and Resolve

Having finished speaking, Lu Hongzhuang let out a colossal yawn, tears welling in the corners of her eyes. The relentless travel and battles had taken their toll; even a body of iron would succumb. She waved a dismissive hand, turning to collapse onto the bed.

Su Qinghan, leaning against the headboard, remained still. She simply extended a slender, pale finger and gently tapped Lu Hongzhuang’s forehead, saying,

“Lu the Heroine~”

“Hm?”

Lu Hongzhuang mumbled in a daze.

“Your bed is over there.”

Su Qinghan’s voice was cool and devoid of emotion, yet it instantly froze Lu Hongzhuang’s movements. She followed the direction of Su Qinghan’s finger, indeed seeing another bed there, freshly made with new bedding. The air, in that moment, solidified.

Lu Hongzhuang’s face flushed crimson with visible speed, the color spreading from the base of her neck all the way to the tips of her ears.

“Ahem! Oh, my memory!” She slapped her own forehead, as if to conceal her blunder, her voice rising several octaves. “I… I must be dizzy from all the work! Yes, dizzy from work!”

She muttered to herself, turning with stiff limbs, practically marching with matching hands and feet towards her own bed. Reaching the bedside, she let out a heavy sigh, a soft sound imbued with a touch of unacknowledged vexation and wistful disappointment.

Perhaps she truly was exhausted. Lu Hongzhuang fell asleep almost as soon as her head touched the pillow, her breathing quickly becoming steady and deep.

Listening to the even breaths, Su Qinghan also turned over and closed her eyes.

The morning sun, filtering through the window lattice, cast golden motes of light upon the floor. When Su Qinghan awoke, the room beside her was already empty. The bedding was neatly folded, as if the person from last night had never returned. A flicker of thought crossed her mind; she wondered if Lu Hongzhuang had taken on another urgent mission, departing without even a word of farewell.

The room door creaked open, and a blend of bamboo, wood, and the inviting aroma of food wafted in. Lu Hongzhuang entered cautiously, carrying a tray. Her eyes lit up when she saw Su Qinghan was awake, and she presented the tray to her like a precious offering.

“Quick, try some! I specifically consulted Master Qian’s kitchen staff, learned on the spot, and made these myself. They’re still piping hot!”

On the tray sat a basket of delicate steamed buns, their skins thin and their fillings generous. Through the translucent wrapper, one could even glimpse the savory broth sloshing within.

“I remember you like these,” Lu Hongzhuang said, her tone carrying a hint of imperceptible anticipation and a desire to please.

Su Qinghan picked up her chopsticks, selected a bun, and gently bit through the skin. The warm, delicious soup instantly burst into her mouth. The taste was indeed excellent. She ate in quiet contentment, while Lu Hongzhuang propped her chin in her hand, watching, a smile she couldn’t hide gracing her face.

Just then, “Flap-flap-flap—” The urgent beating of wings once again shattered the rare tranquility. Another grey pigeon landed precisely on the windowsill, cooing softly. The smile on Lu Hongzhuang’s face vanished instantly, her brows knitting into a tight frown.

Su Qinghan set down her chopsticks and wiped the corner of her mouth. “Another one?”

“Yes.”

Lu Hongzhuang walked over, untied the message tube, and unfolded the slip of paper. Her expression grew increasingly grim. “I’m going out for a bit.” She tucked the paper into her bosom and turned to leave.

“Be careful,” Su Qinghan’s voice drifted from behind her.

Lu Hongzhuang paused, turning to look back. Su Qinghan leaned against the headboard, the morning light casting a soft halo around her, making her pale face seem less cold.

“If you find yourself outmatched, retreat immediately,” Su Qinghan added.

Lu Hongzhuang’s heart inexplicably skipped a beat. A warmth, unbidden, surged from the depths of her heart, instantly dispelling the gloom and vexation from her brow.

It was a strange feeling. In the past, Su Qinghan had also told her to be careful and stay safe. At that time, she had merely taken it as ordinary concern between friends. But now, with the same words, from the same person, why did it feel… entirely different now? The admonition now held a pure, unadulterated concern, placing her safety above all else.

Lu Hongzhuang nodded haphazardly, her heart feeling warm. “Got it!”

She responded, then turned and strode away with swift, light steps.

After Lu Hongzhuang left, silence once again settled over the room. Su Qinghan closed her eyes, calmed her mind, and assessed her internal condition.

Thanks to Jiu Li’s relentless conversion of spiritual energy and the subsequent energy feedback, her nearly depleted Dantian finally held a small reserve. Though not much, it was a vast improvement from her previous, fragile state where a mere breeze could fell her. She had recovered about seventy to eighty percent.

She pushed back the covers, changed into a neat, plain white dress, and, bracing herself against the bed frame, gently pushed off. Her entire body, like a weightless feather, drifted gracefully, tracing an elegant arc before settling smoothly onto the gleaming new wheelchair. The entire process was utterly silent.

“Tsk, truly a masterpiece from the Mohist School,” Su Qinghan murmured, her hand caressing the wheelchair’s smooth armrest. With a gentle push, the wheelchair glided forward effortlessly, without the slightest bump or noise. It was a world apart from the ‘polygonal’ wheels of the one made by the carpenter before.

She propelled the wheelchair, gliding out of the guest room. In the courtyard, the guard, Xiao Li, was sprawled across a stone table, chin propped in his hands, gazing wistfully at Qian Xiaoxiao, who was laughing and chatting with the maids nearby. He looked exactly like a ‘Wife-Watching Stone’ – a monument to longing.

Su Qinghan glided silently behind him, her cool, clear voice suddenly breaking the quiet. “What? Do you like her?”

“Wah!” Xiao Li was scared out of his wits by the sudden voice, bolting up from the stone table. Turning around, he saw it was Su Qinghan and clutched his chest, still shaken. “Su… Young Miss Su! You, you make no sound when you walk!”

The words had barely left his mouth when he noticed the wheelchair beneath Su Qinghan, his face instantly flushing as he awkwardly scratched his head. “Ahem… I mean, how did you glide over without making any sound?”

“There was a sound,” Su Qinghan said, unconcerned by his slip of the tongue. “You were simply too engrossed to notice.”

Xiao Li’s face grew even redder, and he stammered, unable to respond. Su Qinghan didn’t tease him further, cutting straight to the point. “If you like her, then pursue her.”

Xiao Li’s shoulders slumped instantly. He glanced at the bright figure nearby, shaking his head with a bitter smile. “Young Miss Su, please don’t make fun of me. Miss Qian is a young lady of noble birth, and I am merely a guard, a servant. The difference in our statuses is too vast; it’s impossible.”

His tone was filled with resignation and helplessness. Su Qinghan looked at him and spoke softly, “So? You’ll just watch her? At least, you’ll have tried, won’t you? It’s far better than, in the future, when she marries another according to her parents’ wishes and a matchmaker’s words, you’re left alone, drowning your sorrows in wine in a corner, beating your chest and blaming yourself.”

Su Qinghan’s voice was even, yet it struck Xiao Li’s heart like a small hammer, word by word. “Blaming yourself, wondering if the outcome might have been different had you only been a little braver.”

Boom! This final sentence detonated in Xiao Li’s mind like a sudden clap of thunder! He envisioned that scene: Qian Xiaoxiao in a vibrant red wedding dress, carried away in an eight-bearer sedan by another, while he, like an irrelevant bystander, could only watch from afar… No! He refused such an outcome! A light, unlike any he had ever known, ignited in his eyes. Yes, what if he failed? At least he would have tried, he would have fought for it! That was far better than doing nothing and being left with endless regret!

Xiao Li abruptly lifted his head, bowing deeply to Su Qinghan, his voice imbued with an unprecedented solemnity. “Thank you for your guidance, Young Miss Su! I’ll go prepare right away!” With that, he seemed like a changed man, brimming with newfound vigor, and turned to sprint out of the courtyard.

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