Jiang Mengyue stepped into the house; hearing the sounds from the courtyard, she gave a cold smile.
She held command over matters of the future, of great use to the crown prince, who would surely protect her completely.
Even the crown princess could not touch her.
Jiang Mengyue lifted her chin high, a cold gleam flashing in her eyes. One day, she would repay every humiliation she suffered today.
The maid entered, holding Snow‑Skin Ointment in her hands, and timidly said, “Miss, this servant has brought you the medicine.”
Jiang Mengyue lightly touched her face; her cheek was swollen, and the pain made her suck in a sharp breath. “Hiss… why aren’t you hurrying to apply the medicine!”
“Yes.” The maid walked over and carefully applied the ointment to Jiang Mengyue.
Elsewhere.
After tossing a major trouble onto Jiang Mengyue, Jiang Ning returned to the marquis’s residence.
Jiang Mengyue could never have imagined, even in her dreams, that the one who led the crown princess to her residence was Jiang Ning.
If she knew, she would probably even harbor the urge to kill.
When Jiang Ning returned to the marquis’s residence, he heard Shuangyue report that Chu Yunli would depart for He Province tomorrow.
“Going to He Province? So soon?” Jiang Ning’s heart skipped a beat instinctively, unease rising and shattering her calm.
She furrowed her brows tightly. Chu Yunli’s departure for He Province was already certain; no matter how she tried to dissuade him, he would go. Now she could only pray to the heavens that the mountains would not collapse on the day he set out.
Jiang Ning stayed silent for a moment, then turned and walked into the room.
Shuangyue’s expression darkened as well. The lord had ordered that during his absence, the young lady must be protected, and not allowed to suffer even the slightest harm.
From inside the room came Jiang Ning’s voice: “Shuang Yue, Chun Lan, come over and lend a hand.”
Jiang Ning began working with medicinal herbs. She could do little to help with the journey to He Province, but at least she could prepare injury salves to send along, as well as medicine against the cold, and even Ten‑Perfect Tonic Pills.
Jiang Ning stayed up all night, producing more than ten bottles of pills. Exhausted, she said, “Shuang Yue, deliver all of these to Chu Yunli.”
“Yes, Miss.”
Shuang Yue carefully wrapped the medicine bottles, then used her light‑foot skill to deliver them all to the lord.
Chu Yunli saw the pile of medicine bottles. He said nothing, only let his lips curve faintly into a calm smile.
By chance, Yuan Feng walked into the room and saw this scene.
Their lord is smiling again!
Miss Jiang sent over injury medicine—was the lord really this happy? They had already prepared plenty of medicine for the journey!
When Chu Yunli saw Yuan Feng enter, his face immediately straightened. Coldly, he said, “Pack all these medicines and take them along.”
“Yes.” Yuan Feng answered in a single word.
“Wait…” Chu Yunli called out to Yuan Feng. After a moment’s thought, he added, “Store them separately. These medicines must not be moved around carelessly.”
Yuan Feng instantly saw through his lord’s little thought: the master couldn’t bear to let others use the medicine Miss Jiang had made by hand. Sensibly, he replied, “Rest assured, my lord, the subordinates will never tamper with these medicines.”
Chu Yunli gave a light cough and said nothing more.
The next day.
Chu Yunli set out leading elite soldiers and relief supplies, the procession vast and imposing.
Many common folk came out to watch the spectacle, the streets packed with a dense, dark crowd.
Chu Yunli rode a fine steed at the very front, his back straight as a blade, radiating an aura that kept others at bay.
“Is that man Lord Chu?”
“Wasn’t Lord Chu called the Iron‑Faced King of Hell? Who would have thought he’s so young and handsome…”
The common folk had come out just for the spectacle, but who would have thought the man leading a thousand elite soldiers was such a handsome youth? It shattered their fixed image of the Yama King—they had expected a burly brute.
A bold young woman suddenly cried out.
“Lord Chu! You must return safely!”
“Lord Chu…”
Chu Yunli kept a cold, aloof face the whole way, eyes fixed straight ahead, reins in hand, riding forward.
At that moment, a strange impulse made him look ahead. On a tall building not far away, their eyes collided.
Jiang Ning sat on the teahouse railing, gazing down at the procession, her eyes fixed on Chu Yunli.
By chance, he looked over too, and their gazes met.
Chu Yunli’s heart gave a jolt; he tightened the reins and brought his horse to a halt.
The elite soldiers behind him had no choice but to stop as well.
Jiang Ning smiled faintly, waving the handkerchief in her hand to see him off.
In that instant, Chu Yunli’s mood suddenly lifted; the corners of his lips curved, and on his cold face bloomed a faint smile—like the melting of first snow, breathtaking to behold.
The women were all left staring in a daze.
“How could this be Yama? He’s clearly an exiled immortal!”
Chu Yunli tightened the reins and spurred his horse forward at a brisk pace, the elite troops setting out behind him.
Jiang Ning silently watched from behind, following them with her eyes until the column passed through the city gates and vanished from sight; only then did she withdraw her gaze.
“Chu Yunli, you must return safely…”
Chu Yunli set out for He Province—some were worried, others rejoiced.
The Crown Prince smiled: “Chu Yunli, let’s see what you can do this time! When the landslide buries all the relief supplies, will you still have the power to turn the tide?”
Now it’s only a matter of waiting for the mountainside to collapse.
Jiang Mengyue’s visions of the future never go wrong—this time, Chu Yunli is bound to meet disaster!
The Crown Prince raised his cup, drained it in one gulp, and burst into hearty laughter.
After the farewell, Jiang Ning could not set her mind at ease; the whole day she was absent‑minded.
Shuang Yue soothed her: “My lady, rest assured. The master will be fine. He must have made every preparation for this journey—he never undertakes anything without certainty.”
“Is that so…?”
Jiang Ning forced a smile, though her heart remained troubled.
She did not know when it began, but Chu Yunli’s every move tugged at her heart.
It clearly had nothing to do with her, and with Chu Yunli’s abilities there was no need for concern—yet she could not stop worrying.
.........
At night.
The city gates swung open, and a galloping horse sped toward the imperial palace.
The imperial palace blazed with light.
The Emperor was shaken as if struck by a great shock, his whole body trembling: “What… what did you say?”
“Your Majesty, disaster! On the road where Lord Chu leads the troops, the mountainside has collapsed…”
The Emperor’s face changed drastically, his body swaying.
“Is what you said true? Where is Chu Yunli? What of the relief supplies?” The Emperor pressed urgently, his face pale. If the troops led by Chu Yunli had truly been struck by a landslide, it would spell grave disaster!
The Empress, upon hearing the news, hurried anxiously toward the imperial study.
“Your Majesty, I heard that Li’er has met with misfortune—what exactly has happened?”
The Empress was consumed with worry—if Li’er met with misfortune, what could be done?
The situation is unclear; all that is known is a landslide occurred, and no word has yet come back from Chu Yunli’s side.
The Emperor immediately commanded: “Summon General Rong. Send him to investigate the news—he must uncover the truth!”
“Yes!”
The soldiers immediately went to report to General Rong.
The palace was in turmoil, yet in the Eastern Palace, the Crown Prince burst into wild laughter upon hearing the news.
“Hahahahaha! Chu Yunli! Let’s see what you can do this time!”
“Jiang Mengyue truly is my lucky star. If she hadn’t warned me in advance, I would have been the one leading the troops this time!”
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