Gansu Town was one of the nine vital garrisons along the Great Xia frontier. While it did not rival the significance of Jizhou, Xuan, Da, or Shanxi, its unique geographical position, connecting the other commanderies, rendered it exceptionally crucial.

This exceptional importance resulted in a flourishing economy, especially in recent years when the Dongnu cavalry had suffered heavy losses and harassment was minimal.

By this time, November had arrived. Compared to the relatively milder south of the Yangtze, the residents here had already donned thick, padded robes.

Everywhere the eye rested was a wash of muted gray, much like the throngs of people passing by, displaying the raw ruggedness unique to the Northwest.

Qi Yue and her companions observed the pedestrians with curiosity, and the pedestrians, in turn, eyed them with equal interest.

The city gates here were subjected to strict scrutiny, just as they had been all along the journey.

Suddenly, a troop of mounted soldiers burst forth from within the city, causing the pedestrians to quickly scatter.

Qi Yue and her group naturally stepped aside to watch the clearly uniformed guards pass by.

"The guards have been moving in and out much more frequently lately."

"Yes, is there going to be a war?"

The common folk by the roadside began to discuss amongst themselves.

A pedestrian, noticeably better dressed than the rest, interjected decisively.

"No," he stated with finality.

Everyone turned to look at him.

"Why not? Wars often break out every winter." Someone challenged.

"Haven't you noticed how different the city has been lately?" the man asked.

Some nodded, while others shook their heads.

"The city has recently been newly whitewashed, and they're constantly driving the guards to sweep and clean. I heard they are also acquiring some capable young women as servants, and the guards have been making rounds to investigate three times a day..." The man spoke, gazing meaningfully at the assembly. "This means someone important is arriving."

A wave of understanding washed over the crowd.

"Think about it: if a war were imminent, why would any important person come here?" the man reasoned.

The others nodded in agreement.

"Who could it be? To cause such a flurry among the troops?" someone asked curiously.

"Who knows?" The man waved his hand dismissively. "Go ask at the Garrison Fort."

To inquire at the Garrison Fort about who was coming—that was practically asking for trouble!

The crowd scoffed with contempt and dispersed.

Qi Yue had not overheard these idle chats; her carriage continued toward the city gate after the guards had passed.

Seeing their large convoy, the guards visibly heightened their alert.

"A security escort agency from the capital?" the guards inquired.

"Yes," the escorts replied.

The guards then turned their gaze toward Qi Yue, who was sitting outside the carriage.

"What is your business here?" they demanded.

Hu San quickly led his horse forward.

"We are doctors," he stated.

Doctors?

Doctors and their families, perhaps. The guards nodded, dismissing the women in the carriage, and dispersed to conduct their inspections before waving them through.

As the carriage began to move, a voice rang out from within the gate archway.

"Doctors?" the male voice said. "Good timing."

Then, a tall man emerged.

"Come, come, I was just looking for a doctor. Have him look at my brother's arm," he boomed, his gaze fixed on Hu San.

Hu San couldn't resist rolling his eyes at the man.

What an attitude. Did this man know who he was? The senior disciple of the wife of this region’s highest-ranking official...

The man naturally sensed his reluctance.

"What nonsense, a doctor? Are you spies trying to sneak in?" The man aggressively reached for his saber, shouting loudly.

The escorts immediately stood forward, their expressions tense.

They weren't afraid of common bandits or thieves on the road, but engaging in a fight with the soldiers—that could mean death...

A'ru and A'hao also grew nervous.

Xiao Qu and the four other guards assumed a stance ready to draw their weapons.

"Boldness!" they shouted in unison.

Seeing that the group wasn't intimidated but was instead adopting an assertive posture, the man’s expression grew even sterner.

The surrounding guards also closed in, and the area before the city gate instantly became tense, causing the bystanders to steer clear.

"Everyone, stand down, stand down," Qi Yue spoke up, leaping down from the carriage as she approached the military officer. "Officer, the thing is, we are in a hurry for an urgent matter, which is why we were a bit anxious. How about this: let my people proceed first to notify our relative of our arrival, and I will examine your brother."

The man glared at her.

The woman was wrapped in a large cloak, but it couldn't hide her graceful figure, and though her face was veiled, her beauty was still apparent.

Relative?

"Which relative?" he blurted out.

"Why are you so nosy?" Xiao Qu frowned and snapped. "It's not your turn to ask..."

The slightly eased tension immediately snapped back.

"Alright, alright, Xiao Qu, hurry up. Go ahead first, give a heads-up, ask where he is, but don't mention that I've arrived yet," Qi Yue instructed, walking closer to the man. "Come, where is your brother? Let me see his arm."

"You?" The man stared at her.

"Yes, I am the doctor," Qi Yue stated.

A woman?

The man instinctively looked toward Hu San beside him.

"Master, I'll go get the medicine chest," Hu San scoffed, deliberately speaking loudly.

A woman doctor? Not husband and wife, but master and apprentice.

The man spat.

"Bad luck," he muttered, waving his hand. "Move along."

"Wait," Qi Yue called out, stopping him. "Why aren't you letting me look?"

"Look at your mother's head!" the man cursed.

"Hey, why are you swearing at people?" Qi Yue frowned.

Swearing? If this person weren't a woman, he would have resorted to violence by now.

"Are you leaving or not? If not, I'll have you all locked up..." the man shouted.

Qi Yue shook her head and waved her hand, turning back.

"Let's go," she said, supporting herself on the carriage frame as she mounted it.

Xiao Qu led the group ahead. Hu San wiped his nose, shot the man a resentful look, and led his horse forward.

This unexpected interlude didn't dampen their spirits, but everyone lost the desire to appreciate the lively marketplace. Sitting in the carriage, Qi Yue was cheerfully planning with A'ru and A'hao how to surprise Chang Yuncheng.

"...When he sees Xiao Qu, he'll definitely ask why they came. Then Xiao Qu will answer exactly as I instructed: the matter has been exposed, and they were driven away... Then he can follow Chang Yuncheng, ascertain his movements, and report back to us. As for me, I’ll get there ahead of time... Say, should I suddenly jump out and startle him, or should I pretend to be a passerby and walk past him, letting him see me in disbelief?" Qi Yue said languidly, leaning against the carriage wall with her leg propped up.

A'ru reached out and slapped her calf.

"Sit up properly, sit up properly," she chided gently.

A'hao, giggling, mimicked her, shaking Qi Yue's arm.

"Mistress, teach me how to whistle..." she said.

A'ru inevitably turned to scold her again.

Qi Yue tapped the carriage wall, very displeased that her words were being ignored.

"I'm discussing serious matters. Can you two give me some input? Be serious," she demanded.

A'ru reached out and removed the veil from Qi Yue's face.

"If you want seriousness, don't plan all this; it would be best to just follow Xiao Qu obediently," she advised.

Qi Yue waved her hand.

"You two really have no sense of romance! This is going to be a huge surprise!" she laughed.

"What does 'Se bu ru zi' mean?" A'hao asked curiously.

"It means a huge surprise!" Qi Yue shouted, throwing her hands up, her smile lighting up her entire face. "Do you two want to jump out and shout 'Surprise!' at the same time?"

A'hao clapped and shouted 'Good idea!' while A'ru rolled her eyes.

As they were chatting and laughing, Xiao Qu’s urgent voice carried from outside the carriage.

"Mistress, Mistress," he called out, pulling his horse to a halt.

Qi Yue quickly lifted the curtain, looking around cautiously.

"Hey, didn't we agree you wouldn't come to see us first..." she whispered, then looked expectantly behind Xiao Qu, hoping to see that person...

"Mistress, the Heir is not here anymore," Xiao Qu said urgently.

What?

Qi Yue froze.

"Not here?" she asked numbly.

A'ru and A'hao also crowded over, equally surprised, staring at Xiao Qu.

"Yes, the Heir was transferred two months ago, moving along this route toward the garrisons near Xuan and Da," Xiao Qu hurried to explain.

Qi Yue stared at him, wide-eyed.

Damn it, this really was a massive surprise!

"Now you two can jump out and shout 'Surprise!'" she turned to A'ru and A'hao and said.

The night here was much deeper and darker than in the capital. Six lamps were lit in the private room, illuminating the group gathered around three tables for dinner.

A'ru, A'hao, and Xiao Qu's party had lost their appetite, but Qi Yue was still eating heartily, and Hu San was certainly not idle either.

"Are you all done eating?" Hu San asked the others, pausing with food still in his mouth.

A'ru kicked him under the table.

"How can you still eat?" she hissed quietly.

"Why wouldn't I be able to eat?" Qi Yue said, cheerfully tearing off a piece of roasted mutton and offering it to the escorts at the other table. "Try this, roasted mutton, it’s truly authentic!"

The escorts smiled and thanked her repeatedly.

"Mistress Qi, you really won't be returning with us?" the lead escort asked after a moment of hesitation.

"I'm not going back. Since I've finally made the journey here, how could I turn back now?" Qi Yue smiled.

"But, the person you're looking for isn't here?" The escort frowned with concern. "The local customs here are rough, and it’s near the border. It’s too dangerous for the three of you women to stay here."

Having accompanied her for so long on the road, they had developed a great fondness for this frank and generous woman. Initially, upon accepting the escort job, they had feared this delicate young lady would cause them a great deal of trouble, but unexpectedly, this delicate young lady adapted incredibly well. Not only did she avoid causing trouble, but she consistently said or did things that made the tedious journey fun. They felt uneasy leaving her behind.

"Hey, hey, am I not a person?" Hu San interjected, clearly dissatisfied with being ignored.

Qi Yue smiled.

"It’s fine. Xiao Qu already asked. The person I’m looking for will be back in a while; we'll just wait here," she assured them.

Since she insisted, the escorts stopped persuading her.

"Come, come. Drink this farewell cup of wine. Thank you for your hard work, and I wish you a smooth journey!" Qi Yue raised her cup.

The escorts all laughed and raised their cups in return.

"For an occasion like this, especially in the northern deserts, shouldn't we be using large bowls for drinking? Small wine cups look so shabby," Qi Yue remarked again.

A'ru reached out.

"Don't use wine cups either; I'll get you tea instead," she said.

Qi Yue quickly forced a dry laugh.

"It's the sentiment, the sentiment. The feeling is what matters," she said, quickly downing the contents of her cup, afraid it would be snatched away.

The escorts laughed heartily and finished their drinks as well.

As the night deepened, A'hao helped Qi Yue dry her hair, while A'ru spread out the bedding.

"Are we really staying here?" A'ru asked. "Shouldn't we reveal our identities and stay at the Heir's residence?"

Qi Yue didn't bother with shoes, tiptoeing to the bed.

"Under what identity would we stay there?" she asked, flopping onto the soft bed, stretching out in a comfortable sprawl.

Indeed, what was their current relationship? None at all...

"...A'ru, remember to go with Hu San to find a house; we'll rent one..." Qi Yue continued, hugging the quilt and rolling into the bed, closing her eyes.

A'ru responded with an acknowledgment, extinguished the lamps on their side, and closed the room door.

Silence descended around them.

In the darkness, Qi Yue opened her eyes and punched the quilt.

Didn't that brat even see a single letter?

I'm furious!

What terrible timing!

Cursed, backward communication of the old society!