"You’ve finally come to your senses," he said, delighted.
Gu Youyou replied, "I’m quite surprised myself. I burned that bug and you really came. It’s been three years—I thought that bug would have died a long time ago."
"That bug can live for twenty years," he said with a happy laugh.
Gu Youyou glanced outside and said, "Let’s not talk about that now, we need to hurry. I’ll trouble you to escort me for a while, but when we’re close to Beijing, I’ll make my own way back."
The smile on Jin Ziyuan’s face instantly froze, and he exclaimed in shock, "You aren’t willing to go with me?"
Gu Youyou: "...What?"
Seeing Gu Youyou’s reaction, she had clearly forgotten what she had said when she had given her the bug.
Today, she burned the bug simply because she wanted him to come to her rescue.
Well, she had saved him a few times as well, so this could be considered repaying her once.
Jin Ziyuan stiffened for a moment, then sighed and said, "It’s nothing. Let’s go."
He exited the carriage and took his place on the outside, driving the cart.
Huo Li knew he could not defeat this group of ’bandits’ and had already gritted his teeth and slipped away early. His meticulously arranged plans had failed—it was truly infuriating and hateful.
You Jiang climbed onto the carriage and said to Jin Ziyuan, who was driving, "Our hasty actions this time must have attracted Tianzong’s attention. Young Prince, it is best if we refrain from any activities for the coming month."
"Mm!" Jin Ziyuan agreed, unusually obedient.
You Jiang glanced back at the carriage and asked, "Is there a lady inside? Young Prince, did you do all this to rescue her?"
Jin Ziyuan pondered for a moment, then said, "She’s the one who provided me with the antidote."
Since that was his response, You Jiang knew who it was and had nothing more to say.
After a prolonged period of intense alertness, Gu Youyou suddenly relaxed and felt a bit sleepy.
She leaned inside the carriage and decided to sleep for a while.
You Jiang took over driving immediately, but the direction he chose was not towards Beijing.
After a long silence in the carriage, Jin Ziyuan stood up and entered the carriage.
The night was at its deepest, and it was the coldest hour of the day.
Jin Ziyuan added some coal to the furnace of warm tea, stoking the fire to make it burn brighter, and then moved closer to Gu Youyou.
After doing all this, he came out again.
You Jiang turned his head to look at Jin Ziyuan and suggested, "We should split into three groups. Otherwise, we won’t be able to evade their pursuit."
Jin Ziyuan gave a simple ’mm’ in agreement, then fell silent.
You Jiang was a middle-aged man in his late thirties, one of the few survivors after that failed uprising, and at the same time, he was a crucial figure—the strategist by the side of three princes.
Jin Ziyuan trusted him greatly.
"We can’t return to Beijing for now. When Miss Gu wakes up, she can’t stay on the carriage either. Send a few people to take the carriage towards Xining; that territory belongs to the fifth prince. With this move, we can deceive Huo Li."
Jin Ziyuan nodded his head in agreement but remained silent.
He didn’t even know what he was thinking at the moment, feeling a void in his mind, unwilling to think about anything.
You Jiang sighed and continued, "For the second route, we need to find a woman of similar build to Miss Gu and have her wear Gu’s clothes, then ride towards Lingnan. Young Prince, you also need to find someone to impersonate you and travel to Lingnan as well."
Jin Ziyuan finally showed emotion, looking at him in surprise.
"It’s fine to deceive Huo Li, but why do we need someone to impersonate Youyou and me and go to Lingnan?"
You Jiang sighed and said, "Young Prince, I know you don’t want to send Miss Gu back, and this move can deceive Jin Zijin."
Jin Ziyuan paused for a moment, then let out a bitter laugh, "It’s often said you are cunning and crafty, and it’s certainly true. Alright then, what third route have you arranged for us?"