Chapter 61: The Young Lady Will Not Leave

It's time to run.

This time, it wasn't just the Liu family coming for them; the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Wei Jiao, had also been drawn into this.

Miss Liu's identity could no longer be used under any circumstances. Otherwise, she would be immediately exposed to the Duke of Ding'an's manor.

"We have always used different carriages for travel, so it hasn't been easy to track us. You haven't been interacting with anyone, Miss, so no one knows your address."

"We will leave here tonight. I have already scouted the city gates during my recent trips in and out; I know of a weak spot in the patrol, and I can lead you over the wall."

The young guard said, pulling a long rope over his shoulder.

"I prepared the rope long ago as well."

Yang Luo suddenly smiled and said, "Why run? If we're exposed, then we're exposed."

Mo Zheng looked at her, frowning slightly. "But your plan required you to last until the end of the month."

"The plan to last until the end of the month assumed no unexpected accidents would occur," Yang Luo said.

It seemed that because she—a version of herself different from her previous life—had appeared, many things were bound to change. It didn't matter; she would deal with whatever came her way.

"If we're exposed, then we're exposed."

Having said that, she looked at the young guard and saw he was still tense.

"Alright, don't be nervous. Don't worry about scaling the city walls. Put the rope down. We're going to the Duke of Ding'an's manor to meet them."

Mo Zheng looked at her. "Really? Have you thought this through, Miss?"

Yang Luo briskly tied up her hair. "Really. And now is actually the perfect time."

She looked toward the direction of the Duke of Ding'an's manor and gave a light laugh.

"Perhaps the Duke of Ding'an's manor can help me solve this current trouble and allow me to continue my studies."

Is that so? Mo Zheng put down the long rope. "Then wait a moment, Miss. I'll bring Miss Liu along; she's in the next courtyard."

Eh? Yang Luo froze, wondering if she had misheard.

"It's like this—I'm a coward. I was always worried Miss Liu would be discovered if your identity was exposed, so I simply brought her over a couple of days ago."

"I told Brother Zhang and his wife that she is my cousin, staying for a few days..."

The young guard continued to explain.

Yang Luo had a complicated expression. A coward? He even called himself a coward...

Well, he did seem quite cowardly.

Although she had heard the dual news of the Liu family and Wei Jiao tonight, Yang Luo wasn't actually that shocked. If anything, the shock provided by this guard was even greater.

In just a few sentences, he had covered several incredible events: he had explained things to and comforted Miss Liu, and he had even brought Miss Liu to her side.

She had long suspected this guard was not simple, but this was beyond simple. How did he do it? When did he do it?

However, now was not the time to interrogate him; solving the immediate problem was more important.

Yang Luo took a deep breath. "Please invite Miss Liu out. Even though you have explained it to her, I am the one responsible for this. I should apologize to her personally."

"We don't even have to run?"

In the adjacent courtyard, Zhang Sheng was holding an axe, with two knives tucked into his peach-blossom waist, looking astonished.

They had already prepared to protect the two women and fight their way out of the city, but they hadn't expected Mo Zheng to say it wasn't necessary.

This young lady was truly formidable.

Mo Zheng had previously mentioned that Miss Yang was very capable, but everyone had remained skeptical. They hadn't expected that when the moment arrived—and with two crises hitting at once—Miss Yang would only be slightly surprised rather than panicking.

She had even refused to flee, choosing instead to go directly to the Duke of Ding'an's manor.

"Is this really okay?" Taohua whispered. "This Miss Yang... she isn't just going to go crazy because she doesn't want to think, is she?"

Mo Zheng smiled. "As long as the madness works." Having said that, she signaled them to stand down, walked to the side room, knocked, and called softly, "Miss Liu."

The room, which had been dark, suddenly opened its doors, and a slender young lady appeared.

This was the real Liu Chan.

"A-Sheng." Her voice was somewhat nervous, accompanied by a few light coughs. "How is it?"

Mo Zheng frowned slightly. "Why hasn't your cough improved?" She looked at Taohua behind her. "Are those medicines not working?"

Before Taohua could speak, Liu Chan grabbed her hand. "No, no, I'm fine. I was just too nervous and my throat was dry." She then asked urgently, "How is it? Did Bi Yun bring my father back? No one noticed, did they?"

Mo Zheng shook her head. "It wasn't very smooth; there are some complications. Therefore, we have decided to go and explain the truth to your family. Please come with us."

Liu Chan sighed softly. "I hope my father doesn't get too angry."

Mo Zheng said apologetically, "It is all our fault."

"Oh, don't say that." Liu Chan gently shook her hand and whispered, "It was my illness that caused me to miss the exams in the first place."

Having said that, she urged, "Let's go, let's go see Miss Yang."

Mo Zheng complied and led her out. As she reached the door, she glanced down at the hand being held by Liu Chan...

She withdrew her gaze, but did not withdraw her hand.

...

...

As soon as the young guard and that lady entered, Yang Luo's eyes fell on their joined hands.

Yang Luo was glad she had felt a bit thirsty just now and was considering getting water, but since A-Sheng wasn't around, she hadn't bothered to search the kitchen. Otherwise, she would surely have choked on a mouthful of water right now!

This... this... how were they holding hands?

Just now, the young guard had given her a brief explanation of what he told Miss Liu, which was, of course, half-truth and half-lie.

Because he was being hunted by an old enemy, he saw Miss Liu and her servant living alone, so he had snuck in at night to hide, then found an invitation that had been dragged away by a mouse, which led him to think of a better hiding place: the Imperial Academy.

Seeing A-Sheng and the Miss walking in holding hands...

Did A-Sheng really convince Miss Liu with those believable yet unbelievable words?

Could it be... seduction?

...

...

Because the curfew was approaching, after Yang Luo and Liu Chan met and exchanged greetings, they went straight into the carriage to talk.

Since everything had been said by the guard, Yang Luo could not say much to avoid any loopholes. She could only apologize with guilt, sincerity, and solemnity: "I will bear all the consequences. Miss Liu and Master Liu can ask me to do anything."

On the contrary, Liu Chan spoke much more, and Yang Luo finally understood how A-Sheng had convinced her.

"A-Sheng came to find me in the middle of the night."

"She didn't say anything at first; she just presented a topic and asked me to write it."

"I was completely bewildered, but I wrote it anyway. Once I finished, A-Sheng brought out an essay and said it was written by Miss Yang, asking me to see how it was."

Hearing this, Yang Luo couldn't help but ask, "How was it?"

The lamp hanging outside the carriage cast a dim light through the window, but Yang Luo could see a trace of a proud smile appearing on Liu Chan's delicate face.

"I wrote it a bit better than you, Miss Yang."

Yang Luo wasn't particularly disappointed; she knew herself. She had only studied for a few years under a female teacher hired by the Duke of Ding'an's manor; she could never compare to Liu Chan, who came from a scholarly family and had been reading since childhood in a private academy.

"And then A-Sheng told me that Miss Yang's essay had been selected for the position of study companion, and that if I went, I would surely be selected as well."

Liu Chan continued.

"Because of my illness, I couldn't attend the exams. Not being able to try was a true regret. A-Sheng wanted me to know that my trip to the capital wasn't in vain—that if I had participated, I certainly would have passed. To me, that was enough."

Yang Luo thought to herself that A-Sheng was truly good at comforting people. The next moment, she saw Liu Chan, while speaking, lift the carriage curtain to look at A-Sheng, who was walking outside leading the horse.

The young guard noticed and turned his head, saying softly, "Miss Liu is a true scholar; her heart has the breadth to contain the heavens and the earth."

Liu Chan smiled.

Watching the two of them, Yang Luo let out another scream in her heart. Was this... really just because of comfort?

Although the night was dim, one could tell the young guard had well-defined features; he was very handsome and quite attractive.

Her thoughts were in disarray, and she didn't know what to say, when Liu Chan's voice reached her ears again.

"...Sister A-Sheng is also a scholar, so she knows what a scholar is like."

Yang Luo blinked, feeling as if the entire world had gone silent.

Regardless of what a scholar was like, who was "Sister A-Sheng"?

Noisy sounds came from ahead, and the view brightened. The young guard's voice rang in her ear.

"Miss, we have arrived."

The lights were bright in front of the Duke of Ding'an's manor. The Duke and Liu Changqing were still arguing. Wei Jiao, finding it somewhat boring, let out a yawn, when suddenly his vision blurred as a carriage slowly approached through the night.

A youth in green clothing was holding the reins. The darkness made his features indistinct, but...

A bolt of lightning seemed to strike before Wei Jiao's eyes.

His ears rang, he cursed a profanity, braced his hands against the windowsill, and jumped directly out of the open window.

"That son of a bitch!"