Favored concubine deposed empress? I'll seize your throne and marry you to a powerful minister.

In the study of the Grand Tutor's mansion, the candlelight burned quietly, and the twilight outside the window spilled over the railings of the corridor, casting overlapping shadows of the window frame onto the ground.

A thick stack of files lay on the desk, most of them secret reports on the current political situation in the Great Jing Dynasty. The throne was vacant, the old officials had their own agendas, the former members of the Wei family were scattered in various places, and rumors about Wei Rong and the Crown Prince of Donglin had spread throughout the streets and alleys of Yun Jing.

Wei Rong stood before the desk, one standing and the other sitting, while Nian Taifu sat on the calf desk.

Upon hearing the purpose of the visit, Grand Tutor Nian paused in his writing.

Grand Tutor Nian put down his wolf-hair brush and looked up at the young woman in front of him.

He watched Wei Rong grow up.

He had no granddaughters. Wei Rong returned to Yunjing from the southern border when she was eight years old. She looked like a doll in a New Year's painting. Grand Tutor Nian doted on his friend's granddaughter.

Along the way, he witnessed the death of his friend, Wei Beimu held the responsibility of commander-in-chief, and saw the late emperor's fear, which forced Wei Rong to choose Xiao Heng.

She became empress, Wei Beimu was killed by Xiao Heng, and she was stripped of her empress crown.

Now tell him you're going to Donglin.

Everyone was criticizing her, saying that she had an affair with the Crown Prince of Donglin and betrayed Dajing. But only Grand Tutor Nian could see clearly that this girl was only twenty years old and should have had more choices in her life.

Xiao Heng used her family to slaughter her relatives and imprison her in the Empress's cage for so many years.

Grand Tutor Nian slowly exhaled, his face showing no sign of obstruction, only the tenderness of an elder.

"It's good that you've thought it through."

Wei Rong was slightly taken aback, expecting a barrage of advice, urging her to consider the reputation of the Wei family and the people of Dajing, and to avoid stepping into the vortex of a foreign land.

Just like when I advised her not to marry Xiao Heng.

"You don't need to worry about Dajing." Grand Tutor Nian ran his fingertips along the edge of the dossier, his tone solemn. "I will work with a group of veteran officials to sort out the mess in the court. Xiao Heng's crimes will be handed over to the Dali Temple for a public trial. Your father's injustice will not be buried. I will also keep the old Wei family under control."

He paused, glanced at the tension in Wei Rong's eyes, and added, "Leave her an escape route."

"If you are unhappy in Donglin or suffer any injustice, Dajing will always be your home. The Grand Tutor's Mansion and the Guard's Mansion will always have a place for you."

Wei Rong's eyes reddened.

She gathered her skirts and, like a junior bowing to an elder, gave a deep bow to Grand Tutor Nian.

"Thank you, Grandpa Nian."

After leaving the Grand Tutor's mansion and returning to her temporary residence, Qiaoyu was packing her belongings inside.

As Qiaoyu folded the clothes, she whispered, "Miss, are we really going to Donglin? It's a completely unfamiliar country. Can the Prime Minister... the Crown Prince really protect us?"

Wei Rong sat by the window, gazing at the deep shadows of the trees in the courtyard, her fingertips touching the windowsill.

I don't know if the road ahead will bring fortune or misfortune. But deep down, I want to see for myself.

She had seen Ling Xianru at his most disheveled, seen him cough up blood after being poisoned, and seen him risk his life to protect her on the edge of a cliff.

But she also clearly remembered that he, too, possessed an unparalleled cunning and shrewdness within the imperial city.

Human hearts are a mixed bag, with sincerity and scheming intertwined, and she wanted to discern the truth for herself.

Three days later.

At the ferry crossing outside Yunjing City, the river mist was thick, and the morning chill was bone-chilling.

Huge merchant ships were docked at the shore, their sails already arranged.

Mo Bai and Mo Yu, dressed in a tight-fitting outfit, stood on either side of the ship's gunwale, while Physician Qian stood to the side with his medicine bag on his back. Everyone was waiting.

Ling Xianru was dressed in a plain brocade robe, her figure was thin, and her face still had a deliberately maintained paleness due to the lingering effects of the Gu poison.

For the past three days, he has not sent anyone to disturb Wei Rong in the slightest.

The two seemed to be locked in a silent tug-of-war.

The lingering pain from the Heart-Eating Gu can indeed flare up, but a single pill can completely eradicate it.

He chose not to eat.

It was a despicable gamble.

He knew Wei Rong too well.

They are rational and clear-headed, with a clear sense of right and wrong, and habitually prioritize national and familial responsibilities over romantic love.

If he recovers soon, Wei Rong will most likely choose to stay in Da Jing and sever all ties between them.

He used himself as bait, gambling on the little bit of concern she held in her heart, on the guilt she felt, on the feelings she herself couldn't quite explain. But there's always a chance of losing a gamble, and he was prepared to return home alone.

As dawn broke, a pale red hue appeared in the east.

People came and went on the official road, but that familiar figure was nowhere to be seen.

Mo Bai stepped forward and lowered his voice: "Master, three urgent letters have been sent from Donglin. The king's condition has suddenly worsened. At this critical juncture, it must be because the outside world has heard of your whereabouts and is stirring things up, fearing that the imperial power will change. If we wait any longer, we will miss the opportune moment."

Ling Xianru's gaze was fixed on the end of the official road leading into the city, the wind on the river lifting the hem of his robes. The faint light in his eyes gradually dimmed.

He knew in his heart that waiting any longer would be futile.

"Let's set sail." His voice was soft, concealing a suppressed sense of loss.

Mo Bai nodded, about to instruct the boatman to untie the mooring rope.

Just as the wooden rope rubbed against the ship's pillar, the clear sound of horses' hooves came from the distant official road.

Ling Xianru suddenly turned around.

The mist dissipated, and the morning light fell.

Wei Rong, dressed in a light-colored dress with her hair simply tied up, sat on her horse, looking youthful and carefree.

There was no dramatic display, no myriad emotions written on his face; his expression was calm and indifferent, as if he were simply going to an ordinary appointment.

Ling Xianru's breathing suddenly stopped.

The emptiness that had just welled up in my heart was instantly filled.

He almost instinctively took two steps forward, the river breeze ruffling the hem of his robe.

"You've come." His voice was slightly hoarse.

He won his bet.

Wei Rong walked to the side of the boat, looked up at him, and said, "Let's go."

Just two simple words.

Mo Bai and Mo Yu exchanged a glance, signaling the boatman to stop.

The group boarded the ship one after another, and the merchant ship slowly sailed away from the ferry, gradually disappearing from the outline of Yunjing.

The river flows swiftly, and the mountains and rivers on both banks recede into the distance.

At first, the atmosphere on the ship was quiet and gentle.

But a faint sense of unease slowly crept into Wei Rong's heart.

She had heard too many stories about Ling Xianru's past experiences. When she fled from Donglin, there were assassinations and ambushes everywhere. The passes, mountains, forests, and valleys were all fraught with danger.

This journey home will also involve traversing numerous mountains and passes. Logically speaking, even with bodyguards accompanying them, they will inevitably encounter some troubles.

But the journey was too peaceful.

There were no ambushes in the mountain streams, and the checkpoints were all passable. The bandit-infested area, which was originally notorious for its fierceness, was quiet and deserted.

Each time, danger seemed to be silently swept away before they even arrived.

Wei Rong did not ask the question in public, but she was still somewhat puzzled.

The boat traveled along the river and stopped at a rural wharf to resupply with fresh water and food.

The riverbank is lined with vast rice paddies, now in the harvest season, a golden expanse stretching as far as the eye can see, dotted with farmhouses. People come and go along the paddy field ridges, children chase and play, and the lively atmosphere is palpable.

Seeing Wei Rong standing by the boat gazing at the shore, Ling Xianru said, "Let's go ashore and take a walk, rest a bit."

After a long journey by water, Wei Rong was also tired, so she agreed.

Ling Xianru got down first, and then reached out her hand to Wei Rong.

Without hesitation, Wei Rong placed her hand in his palm.

Qiaoyu followed behind, while Mo Bai and Mo Yu vanished into thin air, not approaching to disturb the two.

In the countryside, free from the constraints of the imperial palace, the people who came and went dressed simply.

"Wait for me where you are." After saying that, Ling Xianru turned around and disappeared.

Not far away, a local gentry family was returning from worshipping Buddha.

Among the family members, the young woman in the sedan chair repeatedly lifted the curtain to look at Ling Xianru.

The young man was tall and handsome, and even in simple clothes, his demeanor was far from that of an ordinary person.

The young woman was so captivated by the sight that she ignored her maid's attempts to stop her and quickly stepped forward, carrying a bamboo basket of freshly picked white lotuses.