Rebirth and Rewriting Fate

Over the next three days, the group did not linger, only purchasing dry food and medicine in town before continuing their journey.

Mo Han woke up at noon that day, and Yun Chu finally breathed a sigh of relief after checking her pulse.

The first thing Mo Han said when she woke up was, "Miss, are you alright?"

Yun Chu shook her head. "Don't worry, we're safe now."

Mo Han lifted the carriage curtain and saw the guards outside, then understood what was going on.

In the evening, Shangguan Wan'er came to give Mo Han a follow-up examination.

"Mo Han, how is it?" Yun Chu asked.

"It's nothing serious. Just rest and change your dressings daily. You'll be fine in a few days," Shangguan Wan'er said as she packed her medicine box.

Yun Chu nodded to her, "Thank you."

When Shangguan Wan'er offered to take a look at Yun Chu's foot injury, Yun Chu refused, saying, "I'm fine now. I've applied some ointment, and it's much better."

Shangguan Wan'er looked at her but did not continue. "Miss Yun Chu, may I speak to you in private?" she asked, changing the subject.

Yun Chu smiled. "Miss Shangguan, please speak frankly."

Shangguan Wan'er glanced at Mo Han, who was leaning against the carriage wall. Mo Han was about to get up when Yun Chu stopped her, saying, "It's alright."

“Miss Yun Chu is a straightforward person. Then I will speak frankly,” Shangguan Wan’er said.

Yun Chu nodded.

“A few days ago, I acted rashly and went to Luoshui without much consideration, which led to my capture by the enemy. It was Your Highness who risked your life to save me. I will always remember this kindness. Your Highness is a dragon among men, and I am in love with him,” Shangguan Wan’er said frankly.

Yun Chu was startled and looked at her. It was truly admirable that a woman could express her affection so directly.

She continued, "I don't like beating around the bush; I like what I like. Although I don't know what your relationship is with the prince, I can tell that he cares about you a lot. So, if the prince has feelings for me, then I will definitely compete with you. We can compete fairly, and the choice is up to the prince."

Yun Chu's heart was in turmoil. She exhaled and looked up at the other woman with a smile, "Miss Shangguan, I'm afraid you've misunderstood. My relationship with the Prince is that of ruler and subject. The Prince's intervention was merely due to our past, superficial friendship. Don't worry, Miss Shangguan, the Prince once said that he didn't like me, so I certainly have no right to do so."

Shangguan Wan'er was taken aback. She probably hadn't expected Yun Chu to say that. "I was rude and presumptuous," Shangguan Wan'er apologized and got off the carriage.

Yun Chu leaned against the window, gazing outside. The weather was lovely today, sunny and bright, and her mood should be bright too.

"Miss, won't you ask the master?" Mo Han whispered from behind.

"What's the point of asking? I don't want to be rejected again. Besides, some things shouldn't even be considered in the first place," Yun Chu said softly. She thought Miss Shangguan was a good person, and judging from her character and family background, she was indeed a good match for Gu Ruoxiao. There was nothing to argue about. Learning to let go is also a kind of liberation.

Tonight they will sleep in the wilderness. The women will sleep in the carriage, while Gu Ruoxiao and the guards will sleep outside.

In the stillness of the night, a man stood by the lake, his posture upright, gazing into the distance, lost in thought.

"Master." Mo Han's voice came from behind.

Gu Ruoxiao turned around. "Is something wrong with her?"

"Miss is already asleep."

How is your injury?

"Thank you for your concern, sir. I'm fine now."

Gu Ruoxiao nodded, then noticed the person behind her was still standing and asked, "Is there anything else?"

Mo Han remained silent.

"Is there something you want to say?" Gu Ruoxiao asked, his back to her.

Mo Han, maintaining a polite demeanor, asked, "Does Master have feelings for Miss?"

Gu Ruoxiao turned around and looked at Mo Han.

Mo Han lowered his head and continued, "Miss may seem invulnerable, but she's actually very fragile. She has an extreme lack of security. The day I was covered in blood, she thought I was about to die and panicked terribly. I told her the blood wasn't mine and that I had suffered even more serious injuries, but she didn't believe me. She seems very afraid that if someone is kind to her, she'll care and then disappear. So, Master, if you have no feelings for Miss, or if you can't continue to be kind to her, please don't provoke her anymore."

Time seemed to stand still, with only the sounds of insects chirping and the wind in the wild.

Chengfeng, who was hiding in the shadows on guard, glanced at Chiwu beside him. His eyes seemed to say, "Has Mo Han eaten the heart of a bear and the gall of a leopard? How dare he say such things?"

After a long silence, Gu Ruoxiao spoke up, "Let's go back."

During the three-day trip, Yun Chu and Gu Ruoxiao did not meet much. She always hid in the carriage and did not come out, often spacing out or sleeping.

On the evening of the third day, they arrived in the capital. A majestic city gate stood not far away. A familiar feeling of returning home washed over them. Four months later, Yun Chu was finally back, she thought.

There were people waiting at the city gate who came forward to greet them.

Yun Chu lifted the curtain and looked over. The man appeared to be Chang Zheng, the Imperial Guard Commander. He had protected the Emperor years ago and later Gu Chenglin. A young eunuch was accompanying him. They were talking to Gu Ruoxiao and Shangguan Wan'er. Gu Ruoxiao even glanced in Yun Chu's direction. Yun Chu quickly lowered the carriage curtain.

Soon, she heard the sound of a carriage leaving ahead. She lifted the curtain again, but the carriage was already far away. Approaching her was Chiwu on horseback, who said, "The palace has summoned you urgently. His Highness has gone to the palace first. I will escort you back."

Yun Chu nodded.

As darkness fell, when Yun Chu returned to Qingfeng Courtyard, all the houses had already turned on their lights.

A long-lost sense of familiarity washed over her. The courtyard gate was spotless. Yun Chu knocked on the gate. Soon, a voice came from inside, "Who is it! You're here!"

Xu Li was stunned when he opened the door and saw Yun Chu. He immediately shouted, "Miss is back! Miss is back!"

Soon, everyone from Qingfeng Courtyard came out. They surrounded Yun Chu, asking her how she was doing, and their eyes were all red.

"I'm back," Yun Chu said with a smile.

"Miss, I miss you so much! How could you have been gone for so long? I've been counting down the days!" Zhu Ling cried especially loudly.

"Alright, stop standing at the door, come in quickly, Miss must be hungry, right?" Nan Rao said hurriedly.

"Miss, come in quickly, it's time to go home." Ping An held Yun Chu's hand reluctantly.

Zhu Ling noticed Mo Han behind Yun Chu and quickly grabbed her with her other hand, "Sister Mo Han is back too, that's great!"

The crowd entered the courtyard, chattering away as usual.

"Miss, why don't you take a bath first? I'll go cook a few more dishes," Nan Rao said.

“Yes, yes, Miss, let’s go rest and take a bath,” Zhu Ling quickly replied.

"I'll go get some hot water." Xu Li hurriedly ran to the kitchen to fetch water.

"I'll go to the kitchen to help with the fire and do some odd jobs," Ping An said, rolling up her sleeves.

Everyone chatted excitedly, creating a lively atmosphere. Yun Chu felt the warmth of home, and the image of each person and their face became etched in her mind.