At least he had to ask him face-to-face and get a clear answer!
With that, they mounted their horses and, led by Liu Qi, followed the wheel tracks in pursuit.
Elsewhere.
Qingzhu and the others escorted Zhuge Liang through the night, only stopping for a short rest after leaving the boundaries of Nanyang Commandery.
"Sir, why are they in such a hurry?"
Inside the carriage, Tongzi asked Zhuge Liang quietly. Having gone an entire night without proper rest, his face was full of fatigue.
Zhuge Liang said, "I did not see Young Master Liu yesterday. He was bound to call again today."
"Although the thatched cottage burned down, neither of our bodies was inside. He would most likely think I was deliberately avoiding him."
"And since Young Master Liu had the perseverance and determination to stand outside the cottage for four hours, waiting for me to wake, he certainly would not give up without seeing me. He was bound to pursue us along the road."
"They are hurrying so he cannot catch up."
Zhuge Liang understood perfectly why Qingzhu and the others were hurrying. He had previously suspected they were Liu Qi's men, but now he was certain they were not.
Tongzi was delighted to hear this. "Wouldn't that be a good thing? We could deliberately stall for time. Then, once Young Master Liu Qi catches up, he can surely rescue us!"
"They definitely weren't sent by the Son of Heaven!"
But Zhuge Liang did not answer Tongzi. He looked out of the carriage at Qingzhu and the others watering the horses and feeding them fodder, his gaze unfathomable.
Last night, he had cast a divination for himself, and the result indicated that this journey would be supremely auspicious.
Besides, the road they were taking did indeed lead toward