Chapter 31

Fu Tingjun's eyes lit up at the words. "So Third Master Feng has given us one night to leave Lintong?" As soon as the words left her mouth, worry crept in. "Can we even make it out of Lintong in just one night?" Her delicate brows, soft as feathers, knitted together.

Zhao Jiuye watched her and smiled faintly. "If we headed straight for Xi'an Prefecture from here, of course not." A flicker of cunning crossed his face. "But we can head south!"

"South?" Fu Tingjun's eyes widened.

"That's right, south!" Zhao Jiuye's brow radiated confidence. "Just over fifty li south of here lies Xialuyu in Lantian County. We'll pass through Lantian on our way to Xi'an Prefecture."

Fu Tingjun understood immediately. "Third Master Feng only said to leave Lintong tonight—he never specified we had to go to Xi'an Prefecture!" Her large eyes curved into crescents. "Ninth Master, you're so sly!"

Zhao Jiuye's smiling face seemed to stiffen for an instant.

Fu Tingjun froze, then realized that "sly" wasn't exactly a compliment... She should have said "clever" instead... But changing it now would only draw more attention to it and make him misunderstand!

She laughed awkwardly and hurriedly changed the subject. "Ninth Master, will we have to go a few extra li going from Lantian to Xi'an Prefecture? Should we redistribute the water and provisions?"

"No need for that!" Zhao Jiuye's expression seemed to soften somewhat. "Xi'an Prefecture has four city gates—we're merely changing our route from Yongning Gate to Changle Gate. At most, we'll lose no more than this one night!"

Thank goodness!

She wasn't sure whether she was relieved that Zhao Jiuye wasn't angry or that she'd picked a better topic.

Fu Tingjun let out a long breath and smiled at him. "Ninth Master, shall we set off now?"

"Hm!" Zhao Jiuye nodded, but instead of heading toward the temple right away, he gave her a once-over. "What about the dagger I gave you?"

"Oh!" Fu Tingjun snapped back to attention, hurried over to the handcart, and retrieved the dagger to hand to Zhao Jiuye. "Here it is!"

Zhao Jiuye didn't take it. His gaze rested on the dagger. "Why aren't you carrying it on you?"

Fu Tingjun felt a bit embarrassed. "I wouldn't know how to use it..."

Zhao Jiuye slowly took the dagger, pressed his thumb against the mouth of the sheath, and the blade silently sprang out a small section. The snow-white edge blazed brilliantly under the scorching sun, so bright it was hard to look at.

"Watch closely!" he said slowly, then slid the blade back into its sheath.

The dazzling light still lingered in her eyes, and Fu Tingjun saw twin spots of brightness wherever she looked. "I saw it clearly!"

Zhao Jiuye handed the dagger back to her. "Keep it safe!"

Fu Tingjun was taken aback.

What was she supposed to do with this?

It was heavy, and she had nowhere to put it!

If she lost it, that would be a real problem.

In that moment of hesitation, Zhao Jiuye's expression darkened slightly. He took the dagger back and casually tossed it into the handcart. "I'll go carry A Sen out."

Huh?

Fu Tingjun stared suspiciously at Zhao Jiuye's retreating back.

He couldn't have been planning to give her the dagger, could he...

At the thought, cold sweat broke out on her forehead.

If that were the case, her reaction just now would have been terribly hurtful...

She grabbed the dagger and hurried after him. "Ninth Master, this item is too precious—I'm afraid I might lose it."

Zhao Jiuye, who had just bent down to pick up A Sen, paused almost imperceptibly before slowly lifting the boy into his arms. He turned around to face Fu Tingjun, who stood before him.

"Ninth Master!" She didn't look away, meeting his gaze directly. "I noticed the cloth strap on the dagger's handle was worn and frayed, and you never drew it even when you faced danger before. It must be a treasured possession that's been with you for years. Now that we're traveling from place to place, if it were lost through my carelessness, I'd be uneasy for the rest of my life." She held the dagger out to him. "Please keep it safe yourself!"

Her clear apricot eyes were dark and limpid, like a babbling brook one could see straight to the bottom of—earnest and sincere.

Zhao Jiuye smiled in spite of himself.

She had always been open and forthright. It was he who had held prejudice against her, always measuring a gentleman's heart with a petty man's mind. It seemed that though his years had grown, his tolerance had not.

He took the dagger, his brow relaxing with magnanimity. "I didn't think it through. I'll keep the dagger, hidden beneath the floorboard of the handcart. If you ever find yourself in danger, take it out and use it." He added with a laugh, "Though I'm afraid you might not have the strength—you could end up hurting yourself instead of the enemy."

In the past, Fu Tingjun would have thought Zhao Jiuye was mocking her with words like that. But this time, his smile was hearty, touched with a hint of teasing—like her favorite cousin from childhood who could never resist ribbing her whenever they were together. It felt warm and familiar.

She couldn't help but smile.

The air was filled with a light, cheerful atmosphere.

Fu Tingjun took a deep breath.

How wonderful this was!

Why did they always have to wear stern faces and weigh everyone down with gloom?

"I'll go spread out the straw mat for A Sen." She walked out with a smile.

Ninth Master's lips curved into a pleased arc.

...

They traveled south through the night, accompanied by a sky full of stars along the way.

Ninth Master repeatedly urged her, "If you can't walk anymore, don't push yourself!"

Fu Tingjun smiled and acknowledged his words. After walking for about an hour, her feet gradually felt as heavy as if they were filled with lead, and even lifting them became a struggle. The soles of her feet began to ache as well.

She climbed onto the small cart.

Ninth Master pushed them along, his breathing somewhat labored.

"Perhaps I should get off after all!" Fu Tingjun struggled to say.

"No need!" Ninth Master panted. "I want to make it to Shangluyu before dawn, so we can make up for the time we lost today."

Ninth Master's companions were waiting for him in Xi'an Prefecture. The closer they got to Xi'an Prefecture, the safer they would be. Ninth Master knew this in his heart, and Fu Tingjun knew it too. Any words of comfort would be weak and hollow under these circumstances, so it was better not to say anything at all.

She remained silent and helped tend to A Sen.

By the time the sky began to show the pale light of dawn, they had passed through Shangluyu.

Fu Tingjun could hardly contain her joy. She took out the water pouch and handed it to Ninth Master: "Have a drink and rest for a while!"

Ninth Master didn't decline. He stopped the cart by the roadside, took the water pouch, and gulped down several large mouthfuls.

He usually took small sips, but today he was quite bold!

Fu Tingjun mused to herself, then smiled and offered him a cloth handkerchief: "Ninth Master, wipe your sweat!" But she noticed that his face seemed a bit pale.

Walking would make one's face flush and cause sweating—she had never heard of someone's face turning pale... Perhaps he was unwell.

She was startled by this thought: "Ninth Master, are you alright?" Her gaze carried a hint of suspicion as she looked him up and down.

"A bit tired!" Ninth Master said with a smile as he wiped his sweat with the handkerchief. "It's been a long time since I've traveled through the night!"

Is that so?

The suspicion in Fu Tingjun's eyes deepened.

A Sen suddenly let out a few groans.

Fu Tingjun turned to him with surprise and delight: "A Sen!"

A Sen opened his eyes: "I... I want water!"

"Alright, alright, alright!" Fu Tingjun responded repeatedly, feeding A Sen water and peeling the only egg: "I've been keeping this for you. If you don't eat it soon, it'll go bad."

A Sen grinned with half his mouth and ate the egg in small bites.

After a few mouthfuls, as if something suddenly occurred to him, he pushed away Fu Tingjun's hand and looked around: "Where's the Master?"

"I'm right here!" Ninth Master walked over. "Say less and recover from your injuries quickly, so I don't have to push both Miss Fu and you!"

Honestly, he couldn't even say a single comforting word!

Fu Tingjun didn't even glance at him. She simply continued feeding the egg to A Sen: "Eat up! Once you're done, you can help Ninth Master keep watch—he's been pushing us all night, so he deserves a rest!"

"Ah!" A Sen opened his mouth wide. "Ninth Master, your injury..."

What injury?

Fu Tingjun turned to Ninth Master in shock.

"It's nothing!" he said indifferently. "Feng Laosi's blade never touched me. Otherwise, I would have fallen long ago!"

The two of them stared at him in unison, neither saying a word. Clearly, neither believed him.

Ninth Master suddenly pulled down the left side of his lapel.

Fu Tingjun quickly covered her eyes: "Is there a wound?" she asked A Sen.

"No!" A Sen said joyfully.

"Eat quickly," Ninth Master said gruffly. "I need to rest."

The two of them exchanged smiles.

Once Ninth Master fell asleep beside the cart, they spoke in hushed voices. Learning that they would pass through Lantian County on their way to Xi'an Prefecture, A Sen echoed the same words as Ninth Master: "We're just changing our route from Yongning Gate to Changle Gate. In another two or three days, we'll reach Xi'an Prefecture!"

Fu Tingjun's heart stirred. A thoughtful expression crossed her face, and she remained silent for a long while, not speaking to A Sen.

The next evening, they rested at a place called Changxing.

"Tomorrow we'll reach Shaolin!" Ninth Master seemed somewhat excited—a rare display of emotion for him. "The day after, we'll be in Xi'an Prefecture!"

A Sen could now walk on his own as well!

Fu Tingjun felt that the road ahead was bright.

One moment she wondered whether Ninth Master would take her to the Yongfu Inn in Ping'an Lane once they reached Xi'an Prefecture; the next she wondered who he would send to deliver a letter to her mother; then she wondered how her mother would arrange things upon receiving the letter; then she thought about how she would live her life after breaking off her engagement with the Yu family; and then she wondered what plans Ninth Master might have once he arrived in Xi'an Prefecture... She tossed and turned and barely slept, and when A Sen woke her in the morning, dark circles ringed her eyes.

Ninth Master merely glanced at her, then sat down to eat breakfast.

His expression was calm, his demeanor composed.

But for some reason, Fu Tingjun felt that Ninth Master also seemed to be weighed down by worries.

Could he be troubled by her affairs?

If something could trouble him, it must be very difficult to handle!

Fu Tingjun speculated, and her mood sank along with her thoughts.

A Sen, sitting between them, looked utterly bewildered.

They were almost at Xi'an Prefecture—everyone should be happy. So why was there not a trace of joy in either Ninth Master's or Miss Fu's eyes?

The two adults remained silent, and the child dared not speak either.

The three of them trudged along in silence.

The sun seemed to blaze as if it would set the world on fire, its scorching heat making it impossible to keep one's eyes open.

Fu Tingjun, sitting on the small cart, was drenched in sweat, constantly wiping her forehead, chin, and neck with a handkerchief.

"Would you like some water?" She turned to ask Zhao Jiuye.

Under the midday sun, Zhao Jiuye's sweat-soaked face was as pale as paper.

"No need!" His voice was hoarse, and before he even finished speaking, his body began to sway from side to side.

"What's wrong with you!" Fu Tingjun screamed as she leapt off the small cart.

Zhao Jiuye had already collapsed with a thud onto the dirt road, sending a cloud of yellow dust into the air.

"Ninth Master!" A Sen cried out as he rushed over to him.