Chapter 196: Travel-Worn
Chapter 196: Chapter 196: Travel-Worn
The post house was not far. Liang Wan followed the woman toward the building without stopping. As they neared the entrance, she was not in a rush to go inside. Instead, she dismissed the woman and turned into a garment shop at the corner of the street.
Even after changing into men’s clothes, she was still a bit uneasy. Although the garments were made of plain silk without jacquard patterns, they were still far too eye-catching; they were not something an ordinary family could afford. When traveling away from home, one should never flaunt wealth.
Liang Wan changed into coarse linen garments, letting two strands of hair fall to obscure her face. She packed her previous clothes into a bundle. Only after getting everything in order did she head to the post house.
The sunset clouds dissipated, and the twilight began to spread. There were many carriages and horses in front of the post house, with people bustling about.
"Go on, get out of here! Do you think our post house manager is someone you can just see whenever you please? Keep nagging, and you’ll get a beating!"
The guard at the door looked her up and down before shoving her away. Liang Wan was somewhat irritated but couldn’t afford an outburst, lest she attract a crowd. She did not want to be found by Gu Yu and Guan Song before she had even left the town.
Without drawing attention, she fished one of the golden beads from her bag and discreetly slipped it to him.
The guard’s face stiffened in shock. After a momentary daze, his eyes darted around nervously. Without another word, he snatched it up, terrified that it would vanish if he was too slow. With an awkward expression and a highly impatient tone, he muttered, "Don’t just stand there like a fool. Go inside."
Liang Wan maintained a subservient posture and hurried inside.
Suddenly, she froze. Someone had grabbed her arm, their tone laced with a hint of uncertainty.
"...Awan?"
It was a familiar voice. Liang Wan’s heart skipped a beat. Frowning in confusion, she turned around. A cold, handsome face came into view as a tall, straight figure cast a shadow over her.
"Wang Tingyue?!"
Liang Wan stared at the man before her. For a moment, it was as if she had seen her savior. She was almost ready to weep tears of joy. Discarding all etiquette, she grabbed his arm in return, her voice filled with disbelief. "Is it really you? Why are you here? Weren’t you going to Ping—"
His bright, dark eyes stared at her unblinkingly, holding undisguised joy. After rushing all this way, her once anxious and frantic heart was instantly soothed by his gaze, becoming calm and soft. An indescribable emotion surged within her.
Wang Tingyue let out a faint sigh. "You went missing, so I came looking for you."
Seeing Wang Tingyue’s extraordinary attire and realizing he was an official, the guard then noticed their intimate interaction. The golden beads hidden in his sleeve suddenly felt burning hot. Recalling his earlier rude and rough behavior, he was filled with belated regret. Just as he was hesitating over whether to return the golden beads, he saw the young man in coarse linen drag the official outside.
Liang Wan tugged at Wang Tingyue’s sleeve and hurried away. Fortunately, at this hour, both horses and men were exhausted, and no one paid them any mind. They found a secluded corner.
Liang Wan frowned at him and whispered, "You are on an imperial decree to head to Pingzhou, yet you appear in this small town. You will lose your head if you are discovered! How dare you come running to the post house? Although Lou Shixun is a playboy, he is no fool!"
Her joy seemed to have lasted only for a fleeting moment, leaving behind nothing but exasperation.
"This time, they could have just sent him alone, but His Majesty and the Empress Dowager ordered you to accompany him. Who knows how Lou Shixun is guarding against you in his heart? He’s probably desperate to find a fault with you. And look at you—instead of covering your tracks, you swagger around! Are you afraid people won’t know you are defying an imperial decree? Even an upright gentleman must consider the occasion!"
Her dark eyes glared at him fiercely.
Wang Tingyue remained silent. His gaze moved past the top of her head. "Go prepare a carriage, and get some water and food."
An attendant acknowledged the order and left.
Liang Wan bit her lip and glanced back. She released her grip on his sleeve and lowered her head with an awkward smile. In the past, no matter how close they acted, it didn’t matter. But now, their statuses were different, not to mention...
Just as she was about to step back, he caught hold of her. Liang Wan looked up at his face. Wang Tingyue held onto her without saying a word, the light in his eyes like surging seawater. They stood at an impasse for a long time, or perhaps just a fleeting moment.
He smiled slightly. "Brother will escort you."
After saying that, Wang Tingyue let go, striding in the direction his attendant had left without sparing her another glance.
Liang Wan stood frozen, her eyes cast downward. She fought back the stinging sensation in her eyes and took a slow, deep breath to barely steady her emotions. Then she turned around and followed him as if nothing had happened.
"No need for a carriage. I will ride a horse too; it’s faster."
Hearing footsteps chasing after him, Wang Tingyue stopped and looked at her.
Liang Wan explained, "At least we can catch up with Lou Shixun sooner, so he won’t notice any flaws in our cover."
Wang Tingyue’s gaze lingered on her face for a moment. "Alright."
He didn’t ask why she knew how to ride a horse, nor did he ask when she had learned. He simply said "alright." Liang Wan secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
The experience of learning to ride a horse was far from pleasant...
Straddling the horse once again, distant memories floated with absolute clarity before her eyes. Fighting the nausea in her stomach, Liang Wan gripped the reins tightly.
Wang Tingyue frowned as he looked at her. "If you are unwell, we can rest for the night and leave tomorrow."
Liang Wan shook her head. Setting aside the fact that every delayed moment added more risk, if they dawdled any longer, Gu Yu would surely find them. Wang Tingyue had only brought two attendants, but Guan Song was different. She only had this one chance to slip away; if she was found, there would be no possibility of escape.
Wang Tingyue did not try to persuade her any further. They rode without stopping, pushing forward relentlessly toward Pingzhou.
Three days later, they finally arrived in Yu Yang, pulling in just steps behind Lou Shixun.
The sons of a scholarly family had always lived a life of pampered luxury and loved applying powder and rouge. Lou Shixun was outstanding in this regard; even while heading to the military camp in Pingzhou, he didn’t forget to meticulously dress up. Compared to Liang Wan’s dust-covered face and coarse linen clothes with straw sandals, he actually looked more like a delicate noble Lady who couldn’t carry a basket or lift a bucket.
It was only upon arriving in Yu Yang that Liang Wan learned Wang Tingyue had told Lou Shixun he was going a step ahead and that they would meet up in Lin Chuan. Therefore, running into them unexpectedly at the post house in Yu Yang gave Lou Shixun a great shock. Seeing Liang Wan, he didn’t give it a second thought, merely assuming she was Wang Tingyue’s Maid.
"Wang Tingyue, you really have a unique taste." Lou Shixun shot Liang Wan an odd look and pinched his nose in disgust. Not only was a woman dressing in men’s clothes, but she was also looking so...
Wang Tingyue didn’t explain. He simply stepped in front of Liang Wan, shielding her from the appraising gaze.
"My lord, the room has been prepared." Just then, an attendant walked out from inside, hovering around Lou Shixun with great attentiveness.
Liang Wan watched as he strutted inside with his head held high, unable to stop herself from frowning. According to what she and Gao Qian had discussed that day, Lou Shixun’s trip to Pingzhou was supposed to be conducted in secret. Ideally, he would quietly take over Lu Xiu’s position as Great General without anyone noticing. Yet, he was acting with such a high profile. She feared that before he even reached Pingzhou, Lu Xiu would already know of his mission.
Liang Wan let out a long sigh. She wondered how anything could be accomplished like this.
Wang Tingyue saw Liang Wan staring blankly at Lou Shixun’s back. "What are you thinking about?"
Liang Wan snapped back to reality and looked at him. "What did His Majesty say to you?"
It was Noon, and there were quite a few people in the courtyard of the post house. Wang Tingyue briefly swept his gaze around. "Let’s talk inside."
Liang Wan understood and nodded. The two of them were just heading for the door when hurried footsteps rushed up from behind.
"My lord." It was Wang Tingyue’s attendant, who had likely finished settling the horses.
Wang Tingyue halted.
The attendant glanced around, then leaned in close and said, "The remains of the General of Cavalry have arrived in Yu Yang."
Lu Huai... Liang Wan froze and looked at Wang Tingyue.