Fang Yuan heard what he was really asking.
Han Bao had asked about the road, but what he really meant was where they would go.
Beyond Qingzhou, the road split in two.
One led straight to Capital City, the other to the seat of Jiangyang Dao. These two roads meant two utterly different ways of living.
At those words, everyone turned to look.
Even Qian Duoduo looked over, the smile gone from his plump face for once.
He understood the weight of those two roads better than anyone... Going to Jiangyang Dao meant reporting back to the Imperial City Security Department.
Responsibility for the fall of Wushui Commandery would come crashing down through every level, and those who had escaped alive might fare no better than the dead.
Going to Capital City meant bypassing Jiangyang Dao and taking this matter straight to the very top.
No one could say which road would let them live.
The mounted procession unconsciously slowed.
Hoofbeats rang out sparsely, one after another, striking the official road in the morning light and raising little clouds of dust.
Fang Yuan felt someone's gaze and turned his head.
It was Liu Wanwan.
She held up the carriage curtain and watched him. Her lips moved, then pressed together again.
The way she hesitated made it clear she had something to say.
Fang Yuan noticed.
He had never asked much about Liu Wanwan's background.
Thinking about it now, her background probably had something to do with these two roads.
If she did not speak now, it would be too late once they passed Qingzhou.
But with so many people and prying eyes around, this was not the time.
Fang Yuan gave her a slight nod and a reassuring look.
Before sufficient strength, every problem was a small one.
Liu Wanwan