He Had Just Lifted the Soft, Delicate Healer onto His Lap When Someone Under the Carriage Asked Who Was Bouncing Above

On the other side.

On the official road outside Xiangyang City, the wheels of carts creaked and groaned on the bluestone slabs.

Gu Moran lifted the carriage curtain and peeked out.

As dusk fell, the outline of Xiangyang City in the distance was pressed under the twilight, and lanterns were lit on the city towers, their light diffused by the swirling mist.

How much further?

Tuoba Mang sat beside the carriage and wiped the sweat from his face.

"At this pace, we should arrive outside Luoyang by the evening of the day after tomorrow."

Gu Moran nodded and lowered the carriage curtain.

The carriage was very quiet.

Shen Ling'er leaned against his left, still holding the copper clasp of the medicine box in her hand, her thumb rubbing back and forth on the clasp. Her eyelids were drooping, she was very sleepy, but she refused to sleep.

Lin Qingdai sat opposite him, her sword resting on her knees, her eyes closed, her breathing even, but Gu Moran knew she wasn't asleep.

When this woman is asleep, her left index finger rests on the sword guard; when she is awake, her index finger is against the scabbard.

My index finger is currently resting against the sheath.

Murong Xue occupied the cushion on the right, her legs stretched out long, the soft whip tucked into her wrist, her head tilted against the carriage wall, and half a piece of dried meat dangling from her lips. She had only chewed half of it and then forgot to chew it, so she was probably really asleep.

Zhen Meili squatted under the flap at the rear of the vehicle, her upper body squeezed into the inspection port of the axle, with only her waist and two legs showing.

There were clanging and banging sounds coming from inside, and she mumbled something like "uneven suspension" or "loose rivets."

Meng Jiuning sat in the corner, her eyes fixed on Gu Moran, but she didn't dare to look at him for too long. She would glance at him and then lower her head, only to secretly look up again a moment later.

Yun Shuyue wasn't in the carriage, and the little girl couldn't stand the strange atmosphere inside. She volunteered to lead two scout sisters ahead to explore the way, returning every half hour to report back.

Gu Moran leaned against the cushion, her eyes closed.

Luoyang.

We're almost there.

He rubbed his temples.

Don't think about it; the more you think about it, the more anxious you'll become.

"Husband." Shen Ling'er's voice came from the side, very softly.

Gu Moran opened her eyes.

Shen Ling'er opened the medicine box and took out a small porcelain bottle from inside.

"You've been traveling very fast these past two days, and your pulse is a bit weak."

This is Qingxin San (a traditional Chinese medicine formula), which contains Poria cocos and buckwheat, and can suppress dryness.

Gu Moran took the porcelain bottle, poured out a grain, and chewed it.

bitter.

His face scrunched up from the bitterness.

"Did you prepare this medicine?"

"It's from those three Dali my husband gave me from Dali." Shen Ling'er pursed her lips.

" Ling'er was inspired by the prescription and made minor adjustments to the proportions, removing Erhai Lake kelp and adding half a mace of dried tangerine peel. The prescription from Dali is on the colder side, so I changed a few ingredients."

Gu Moran glanced at her.

"Okay, whatever you say."

He returned the porcelain vase to her.

Shen Ling'er took it and carefully put it back into the medicine box.

They moved very quietly, afraid of waking others.

But just as she pulled her hand back, the carriage suddenly lurched.

The left wheel ran over a protruding pebble, causing the entire vehicle to tilt to the right.

Shen Ling'er swayed and her shoulder bumped into Gu Moran's chest.

She quickly tried to sit back down by supporting herself on his arm, but as soon as she managed to get a grip, the wheel bounced off the stone again, and the car swayed to the left.

This time, Gu Moran to the side, shifting his weight so that he pinned Shen Ling'er between the cushion and himself.

The two were face to face.

Shen Ling'er's nose was almost touching his chin.

Her ears turned red instantly.

"Husband... my lord..."

"Don't move."

Gu Moran braced one hand against the car wall next to her head and the other hand on her waist, lifting her onto his lap before letting go once the car was stable.

Shen Ling'er felt it, and her face flushed even redder.

"My husband, you... you..."

Lin Qingdai, sitting opposite, opened her eyes, glanced around, and then closed them again.

He pressed the corners of his mouth down slightly.

Murong Xue had woken up at some point, still holding half a piece of jerky in her mouth. She tilted her head, glanced at the scene, snorted, and finished chewing and swallowing the jerky.

Meng Jiuning lowered her head, her fingers twisting the tassel of the sachet so tightly it almost broke.

Zhen Meili's voice came from the rear of the car, muffled, emerging from under the axle.

"What's going on? Who's jumping up there? I just adjusted the suspension, and it's crooked again!"

Nobody paid any attention to her.

Two days later.

Luoyang.

Fallen Plum Studio.

Half an hour ago, the hooting of an owl outside the courtyard rang out again.

This time it was three short and one long.

The items have arrived.

Qingwu carried a lantern and went out of the house.

She crossed the yard and walked to the water vat.

The light from the corridor lamps swayed in the wind, casting long, dragging shadows across the ground.

She bent down as if to fetch water, and reached her hand into the gap between the rim of the vat and the base of the wall.

I touched it.

A bamboo tube covered in yellow mud and sealed with sealing wax was flicked in from outside the wall and landed in the pile of broken bricks next to the water vat.

The bamboo tube was small, about the thickness of a thumb, and was completely covered with mud, so you couldn't see what was inside.

Qingwu did not take it away immediately.

She stood up, carrying the bucket, and deliberately took two steps toward the artificial hill, glancing at the top of the wall out of the corner of her eye.

The top of the wall was pitch black; you couldn't see anything.

But she knew someone was watching.

The two crossbowmen on the roof of the woodshed were in the highest position and could see most of the activity in the courtyard.

The two behind the artificial hill on the west wall are a bit further away, but the angle is just right to cover the section from the water vat to the door.

She needs to be seen by them.

Qingwu put down the bucket, turned around and walked back to the water vat, where she squatted down.

He reached into the pile of broken bricks and turned the bamboo tube out.

The movement was slow, as if he had accidentally bumped into something hard and touched it a few more times.

She took the bamboo tube under the lantern and used her fingernail to pry open the sealing wax.

A roll of silk was stuffed inside the bamboo tube.

She took it out and unfolded it under the lamp.

The silk was embroidered with half a python pattern.

The Five-Clawed Golden Python, a feature of the Prince An's Residence.

This silk was brought from outside by Shiqinghuayi; the python pattern embroidered on it is quite lifelike, impressive enough.

Following Gu Moli's instructions, Qingwu changed the expression on her face to one of panic.

She suddenly stood up, looked around, and hurriedly pulled a tinderbox from her waist, blew on it, and held the silk thread to the fire.

When the silk touched the fire, the edges immediately curled up, and the half of the python pattern was licked by the flames, charring half of the gold thread.

Just then, Qingwu flicked her wrist outwards.

The half-burnt silk fluttered from her fingertips and spun halfway under the lantern.

She reached out to grab it, but missed.

Then, a dark figure swooped down from the top of the wall.

quick.

As we approached Qingwu, I only caught a glimpse of a section of iron hook flashing in the lamplight.

grappling hook.

The iron hook bit into a corner of the silk thread and pulled it upwards.

The half-burnt silk scroll with the python pattern of Prince An was snatched away from mid-air.

Qingwu pretended to chase after him, took two steps towards the wall, tripped, and failed to catch up.

He stood frozen at the base of the wall for a few moments, then turned and ran into the house.

She slammed the door shut from the inside, the bolt clicking loudly.

The courtyard fell silent again.

Only a lantern remained beside the water vat, lying askew on the ground, its flame flickering in the wind.

Alleyway.

Mei Zhongjun stared at the half-section of silk in his hand, his thumb rubbing the charred gold thread on it.

Python pattern.

Five claws.

He recognized the pattern.

He knows him all too well.