Shen Hanyu caught the hint in Dugu Bo's eyes, frowned slightly, then took Snow Empress's hand and boarded the carriage.
A faint medicinal fragrance lingered inside the carriage, refreshing the mind. Dugu Bo sat to one side, his clothes covered in ash and tears, while a woman in a pale purple dress sat opposite him.
Though the woman's appearance could not compare to Snow Empress or Qian Renxue, she was still a rare beauty. Her face bore no trace of makeup, yet she possessed a frail, willow-in-the-wind beauty that was deeply moving.
Yet the woman's aura was exceedingly strange. On one side was a sharpness like a drawn sword; on the other, the delicate weakness of someone long bedridden. But these two utterly different qualities did not clash on her at all. Instead, they complemented one another, making her entire presence seem elevated.
Once Snow Empress and Shen Hanyu had boarded, the coachman set the carriage in motion again, heading out of the city.
The woman leaning against the partition slowly opened her bright eyes. She studied Shen Hanyu and Snow Empress with some surprise before speaking.
"Hello, my name is You Mengchu."
Her voice was clear and pleasant, yet carried a trace of weary fatigue, as well as faint, fragmented pain.
Dugu Bo shifted aside to make room for Shen Hanyu and Snow Empress. This was a large carriage capable of carrying eight people, and with only four inside, it was not crowded in the slightest.
A thin layer of fur carpeted the floor of the carriage, emitting a faint chill that kept the temperature inside at a comfortable level.
"Mm. Shen Hanyu. This is my lover, Snow Empress," Shen Hanyu said as he and Snow Empress slowly took their seats.
Interest flickered in both their eyes.
The woman