The two of them passed through the city gates and met Xiao Ce!
He was personally on guard tonight, intending to escort them away safely, but he hadn't expected to run into old acquaintances!
"It's good to have you by the Prince's side!"
Gao Wenbin smiled, dimples appearing on his cheeks, a far cry from his previously inscrutable demeanor; he now had a more human touch.
He slapped Xiao Ce on the shoulder and squeezed it, "Don't worry, I'll take care of the Prince and Princess. I'll make sure they come to no harm!"
After a brief chat, Xiao Ce opened the city gates and let them leave.
The dark night was perfectly complemented by moonlight, and the journey was not lonely.
Meanwhile, in the inn, Zhao Jiaqi lay on her bed, gazing at the moonlight outside the window, wondering if he had seen the letter she'd left.
Would he go mad when he saw it? He'd probably want to beat her up!
Thinking of his frenzied appearance, Zhao Jiaqi smiled faintly. Then, after a moment, she felt she was overthinking it.
What if he also wanted to break up with her and start anew?
Perhaps she wasn't as important to him as she used to be?
Lost in thought, she tossed and turned, unable to sleep.
As the sky began to lighten, she finally closed her eyes and fell asleep after a restless night.
In the morning, after sleeping for just an hour, she woke up. After washing and applying her makeup, she went downstairs with Su Ya for breakfast.
After two days of travel, they finally emerged from Daqing Mountain and saw the bustling market town again.
Su Ya smacked her lips and said, "Master, for the past two days, we've only eaten hard rations soaked in water. My cheeks are raw. How about we stay here for a day, take a good bath, and have a proper meal?"
Zhao Jiaqi nodded vigorously, "Good, let's go to the Yuelai Inn. Ying Xiong opened it, so it's safe!"
Yuelai Inn!
The innkeeper was still very hospitable, adhering to the principle of "the customer is God," and their service was excellent.
Su Ya noticed the sparse crowd in the inn. She placed ten taels of silver on the table and said in her not-very-fluent Zongsheng dialect, "Two upper rooms, and some hot water, please!"
The innkeeper, hearing the accent mixed with various regional tones, managed to put together her request and smiled.
He stepped forward and asked in the Yun country language, "Sir, would you like some more food and drink?"
Ah, Su Ya heard a familiar phrase and felt incredibly warm. It was like meeting an old friend in a foreign land, and she almost shed tears of joy.
"After we've washed up, we'll have some food. Bring us the best!" Su Ya said with a smile, feeling a special kinship with the innkeeper.
The innkeeper smiled and nodded, instructing a waiter to lead the esteemed guests upstairs and deliver hot water to them.
The Heaven-grade room!
A room that cost one tael of silver a night. The bedding was soft, and the interior furnishings were quite elegant, certainly more comfortable than the ordinary inns they had stayed in.
After washing, she lay down for a while and actually fell asleep. When she woke up again, the sun was already setting.
Downstairs, the two of them were eating and overheard the conversation at the next table about Yun country matters, but the language barrier made it difficult to understand.
Zhao Jiaqi signaled to Su Ya, "Go and ask what's happening!"
Su Ya also wanted to know. After eating most of her meal, she went to chat with the innkeeper. As fellow countrymen, they, an old man and a young woman, chatted quite happily in this foreign land.
She learned that the Supreme Emperor and Empress of Yun country had entered Zongsheng country yesterday to visit relatives, bringing an army of ten thousand elite soldiers.
Su Ya's mouth dropped open in shock!
It was plausible for the Supreme Emperor to visit Zongsheng country, but it was utterly impossible for the Supreme Empress to come, because the Supreme Empress was currently in the shop, so how could she have arrived in an imperial carriage?
Su Ya asked the innkeeper about some other matters, but in the end, nothing was particularly important.
"Innkeeper, two upper rooms and some dishes to go with wine!"
A rough voice boomed from behind Su Ya, nearly deafening her. Su Ya frowned, her eyebrows furrowing, and turned to look. She was so startled that half her soul fled, and the other half was completely gone.
Heavens!
It was the Prince!
Their eyes met. Fan Zehao's brow furrowed. He found this person somewhat familiar. He touched his face. In his current appearance, could he still be frightening?
He wouldn't claim to be peerlessly handsome, but at least he looked like a normal young master from a wealthy family. Why was this waiter so astonished?
Su Ya quickly averted her gaze. She dared to bet that if she looked at the Prince any longer, she'd be flayed alive.
This was because the Prince disliked other women looking at him the most.
Su Ya quietly returned to the table and nodded to Zhao Jiaqi, "The Prince is here!"
"What?" Zhao Jiaqi didn't hear clearly and asked.
She put her hands on her forehead and leaned close to Zhao Jiaqi, whispering, "The Prince, the Prince has followed us!"
Her heart pounded.
He had really followed her?
Zhao Jiaqi mechanically turned her head to look behind her. Not far away, two people were talking at the counter. One was Gao Wenbin, and the other, silent one, was precisely Fan Zehao.
It had only been four or five days, yet the flesh on his face had considerably reduced. He had lost weight.
His intense gaze alerted Fan Zehao, who also looked over. Their eyes met, and his narrowed.
Another familiar feeling. This damnable feeling, why had it appeared twice in one night!
Fan Zehao said to Gao Wenbin, "Have the innkeeper bring the food to that table. Let's eat together!"
He wanted to see who these two men, who looked like familiar strangers, truly were!
The innkeeper was surprised, "You're also from Yun country? That table is also from Yun country. We can all sit together then!"
If Gao Wenbin hadn't spoken to him in fluent and authentic Zongsheng dialect, the innkeeper might not have realized they were from out of town.
Yun country people?
That was rare in Zongsheng country. Fan Zehao walked over, like a jianghu figure, and slapped the shoulder of the person staring at him. He naturally sat down beside her.
"Brother, I heard you're also from Yun country. What a coincidence, so am I. Let's have a meal together. You don't have any objections, do you?"
Zhao Jiaqi's head drooped to her chest. She had plenty of objections!
She didn't speak, fearing he would recognize her, and shook her head vigorously to express her displeasure.
Mute?
Fan Zehao turned his gaze to Su Ya on the other side, "Your friend is mute. I don't know sign language. Can you ask her?"
I don't know either, and even if I did, the Princess wouldn't understand it even if I gestured!
This put Su Ya in a difficult position. Her face turned pale, as if she had smeared white powder on it. Sweating profusely, she cautiously looked at the Princess.
"Well... Master can't speak, but she can understand. She's shaking her head, meaning she's full, wants to rest, wants to rest!"
After saying that, Su Ya felt like a genius, her excuse was so plausible and perfect!
She was just about to laugh out loud when, without warning, Gao Wenbin behind her suddenly pulled off her beard, startling her and causing her mouth to sting.