I was embarrassed beyond measure. I tried to wedge a knee between us to hold her back while whispering urgently, "What are you doing? The others are right there..." This was the four-compartment carriage she had meticulously prepared herself. Zhu Yixin, who had just been teasing us, was sitting in the compartment directly behind us. I could even hear her talking to Qiao Songlin, a mere three feet behind my head!
Her free hand didn't stay idle. She easily caught my knee—which could have kicked a bull to death—in her palm, using the leverage to gently part my legs. Then, following the current, she used two fingers to gather the layers of my skirt. Her spare ring and pinky fingers curled slightly, grazing the skin of my inner thigh. The scene became even more scandalous...
"Mhm. They are all here. So..." she chuckled softly. "Though I have set several soundproofing and anti-peeping arrays, A-Zhi should still be careful."
"It's the dead of winter, you..." I whimpered for a while, unable to find a reason to scold her. Finally, I managed, "Aren't you afraid I'll catch a cold?"
"Press against me... stay close." Her lips and tongue retreated slightly from my teeth, her voice a soft, low lure. "You won't be cold."
When Zhu Yixin hopped down from the carriage, she saw the veil draped from the crown of my head to my neck and said in surprise, "Why did you put that thing back on? We're home!"
I used every ounce of my strength to keep from rolling my eyes at Wei Daren. Pouting, I said, "It's an open-top carriage; the wind is strong." And wasn't it? The wind was so fierce my hair was nearly coming undone, yet it couldn't blow away the flush on my face...
That villain moved the hand resting on my waist up a few inches, inconspicuously rubbing the loosened ties buried beneath layers of clothing. The itch was unbearable. Only then did she say calmly, "In that case, we should use a standard carriage from now on." How considerate—it would certainly make it easier for her to keep her hands busy. But she only cared about undoing things, never tying them back... Fortunately, it was winter, and I was wearing thick layers!
The group dispersed with laughter and chatter. I stomped ahead in a huff, while Wei Daren followed leisurely behind with her hands behind her back, a smile playing on her lips. Just as I reached the bedroom, I slammed the door right in her face. No matter how she knocked, I wouldn't open it.
"A-Zhi..." She called my name with feigned seriousness, her voice calm at first, but then it rippled with laughter she clearly couldn't suppress. "Is the hot water ready? Do you need my help?"
I balled up the clothes I had just taken off and hurled them at the door. "I don't need your help! Go read your dossiers!"
The laughter faded. She actually went to the front courtyard to work... My teeth itched with resentment as I splashed around in the bath, spilling water all over the floor.
I quickly finished my grooming and dressing, then marched toward the front courtyard with an aggressive stride, intending to settle the score with the Lord Emissary. She was seated behind a desk in the hall, drafting official documents with a flying pen while listening to a subordinate's report. Hearing my footsteps, she looked up. Her cold, frost-like expression instinctively softened. Her eyes narrowed slightly, revealing a faint, fleeting smile that only I could truly read. Then she returned her gaze to the subordinate, nodding to acknowledge the report, and Honglu smartly smiled as he escorted the guest out.
Though several others were busy nearby, they were all her subordinates, so it didn't matter. Wei Daren’s smile deepened until the creases beneath her eyes showed. She reached out and pulled me into her lap as I approached. Looking up at my face, which I had reapplied makeup to after my bath, she couldn't resist stroking my cheek tenderly with the back of two fingers. She was gentle and respectful now, without a hint of impropriety.
My heart felt sweet, but I kept up the act, pouting and glaring at her fiercely. It was all for show, though; my thoughts of revenge had long since vanished. Before long, I was giggling and sitting on her lap. I grabbed a brush, dipped it in ink, and made a move as if to ruin the document she had spent so much time writing.
She didn't mind my meddling at all. She circled my waist with one arm to keep me from bumping against the edge of the desk, making sure I was sitting comfortably. Then she said, "That was one of Li Sanshiliu's men. He said they found Miss Zhou among the refugees in the northern suburbs and asked if I wanted to go see for myself."
I felt a surge of joy, followed by tension. "Is Miss Zhou alright?"
"Yes, she's safe," she replied. "Didn't you mention wanting to go to the northern suburbs with Fifth Sister to distribute aid? The people handling things at the temple are all men, so it's inconvenient to look after women. Li Sanshiliu's intent was likely for me to bring my beloved lady along to escort Miss Zhou back to her manor."
"That Brother Li is truly a clever one!" I laughed. "He knows this half of the case relied entirely on your guidance, so he's generously sharing the credit with you!"
We agreed to depart in fifteen minutes. She stayed in the hall to instruct her subordinates on wrapping up their current tasks, while I went to Zhu Yixin's courtyard to ask if she wanted to come along. I found it empty. She was at Fourth Brother's place helping him pack. It turned out the message sent to Yin Shuhong at the Thorn Basin this morning had received a reply. The two of them planned to have Xiao Yin personally accompany them tomorrow to find the bookstore manager who had been the contact for "Thousand Year Sorrow" to get the full story. That manager lived in the outskirts of the capital near Zhaozhou. Qiao Songlin said, "There are only a few days left before the year ends. If we get a definite lead, we won't come back; we'll head straight out to pick him up."
I was deeply moved that they were willing to travel so far for A-Qing's brother. Tears nearly welled up. It took me a moment to smile and squeeze out a sentence: "It wouldn't hurt to wait a day or two. Tomorrow is Little New Year, yet you two are heading out into the wind and frost. It really makes me..."
Qiao Songlin only shook his head with a smile. Zhu Yixin chuckled and pinched my cheek affectionately. "Are we still saying such things to each other? A-Qing doesn't say it, but who knows how anxious she is inside. If things go smoothly, we'll be back with him the day after tomorrow. Just have Muyu cook a table of my favorite dishes." She said this entirely to comfort me; we all knew finding someone would take at least four or five days, maybe even two weeks. They were truly sparing no effort to reunite A-Qing with her brother for the New Year.
Hearing that I was going to the northern suburbs this afternoon, Zhu Yixin quickly hauled out several large bags of cotton clothes she had made by hand while idling at home, along with three hundred packets of loose silver. She stuffed them all into a Qiankun bag and handed it to me, asking me to distribute them on her behalf. Her kindness was genuine; whether she was there in person was just a minor detail she didn't care about.
I also packed some money and food for Wei Daren and myself, having it loaded onto a separate carriage. The two of us rode together, speeding toward the north.
Just a mile outside the Anyuan Gate of the northern city, the bustling scenes of the imperial capital abruptly faded. The terrain rose steadily, and the view was filled with vast, low, rolling snow-covered hills. A wide official road, maintained by specialists and cleared of snow, stretched out from the city, tracing a slow, clumsy grey-black ribbon. Scattered travelers trudged along with mules and horses. The mountain forests were sparse, with only the occasional stunted, withered tree crouching by the roadside.
Anyuan Gate was the only one of the three northern gates open to civilians. I had expected it to be like the eastern, western, and southern suburbs—bustling with tea houses and taverns extending ten miles past the pavilions. To my surprise, I couldn't even see a single stall or shop sign. Wei Daren explained that during the autumn rains a few months ago, mountain floods had swept down from the north, driving a tide of hungry refugees. There had been some tea and noodle stalls, but they were washed away by the crowds and the water.
Hearing this, I looked closer. I could indeed see the faint traces of broken posts, ruined tables, and shattered chairs, buried haphazardly and desolately under the snow.
After less than fifteen minutes of travel, the city walls—dozens of feet high—were left far behind. Before us was a magnificent snowy plain that filled the world, flat and stark, visible at a single glance. Seeing my eyes wide and fixed on the scenery, Wei Qingming smiled and made a childish suggestion: "Why don't we climb onto the roof of the carriage to watch?"
I remembered how, years ago on the way to the capital, Auntie Shui and Muyu wouldn't let me open the window, so I insisted on jumping onto the roof at midnight to play. I felt a bit nostalgic. I giggled and nodded readily. Wei Daren told me to tie my cloak tight, then reached out the window to hook the outer edge. With a light leap and a swivel, she vanished, as graceful as a white crane spreading its wings. She truly looked ethereal, her robes fluttering like an immortal's.
Before I could even utter a word of praise, one of her hands reached down. She even curled two fingers roguishly, beckoning me provocatively. I was both annoyed and amused. Helpless, I gave her hand a loud slap before grasping it. She lifted me effortlessly onto the roof.
Held in her arms, I didn't feel the cold at all despite the speed of the wind. I glared and spat at her first, silently mouthing a curse. Luo Cheng, who was driving the carriage, heard the commotion and looked up in surprise. He froze for a moment with a blank expression, then turned back, instinctively pulling the brim of his bamboo hat even lower...
Her chin rested gently on my shoulder, her face full of smiles. "Whenever it snows, I always think of A-Zhi's hometown."
"My hometown?" I was about to ask, "When have you ever been to Mount Yifeng?" but then I remembered she had traveled to Han Prefecture countless times. There was no need to ask such a stupid question.
She confessed without being asked: "Yes, to catch a little cat."
I froze for a second, then felt a surge of mock fury. "Oh! So you wanted to keep another cat!"
She shrugged, pulling the corners of her mouth down in an innocent pout. "A-Zhi was the one who didn't want me first."
Her pettiness was truly one of a kind. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry, so I just stroked her head to soothe her. For a moment, I felt like I was petting a large dog...
The two of us chatted and watched the snow. Though the weather was cold and the wind sharp, the afternoon sunlight was rare, bright, and clean, making the world look crystalline and transparent. Small grains of snow occasionally blew toward us in the wind, only to be easily brushed aside by her sleeve. Even passing birds chirped crisply as they brushed past our shoulders.
Later, I even intercepted a few larger snow pellets and playfully tossed them onto the top of Luo Cheng's hat. When he turned his head indifferently, I pretended to be innocent and pointed at Wei Daren beside me, indicating she was the one who threw them. He could only lock eyes with his unmoved superior, unable to stop a smile from tugging at his lips. He shook his head helplessly and turned back to focus on the reins.
We played until the hand warmer in my arms lost its heat and the ground began to show vast stretches of deep mountain forests capped with snow. Only then did we return to the carriage to warm our hands and feet, preparing to land in fifteen minutes.
Xuesu, as my dutiful protector, sat alone in the carriage behind us, guarding the mountain of cotton clothes and supplies. Since she disliked me and I disliked her, it was perfect that we didn't ride together. When we arrived, she hopped down reluctantly and followed silently behind us.
I suppressed a laugh and put on a stern face. While Wei Daren was busy receiving greetings and reports from the people at the temple, I pointed at the bag of clothes Zhu Yixin had packed and said to Xuesu, "Pick it up and follow me."
Her eyes widened in shock, her fur practically standing on end. She clearly had no desire to do such a thing and never had. She wanted to snap at me, but intimidated by Wei Qingming's presence, she had to submit to my "tyranny." She angrily hoisted a large bundle of clothes onto her shoulder. Being so short, the large bundle made her look even smaller. Seeing this, I felt a bit of pity. Laughing, I picked up two large bags of silver and food myself, thinking to the Bodhisattvas that I was sorry for using child labor today...
