Everyone turned their heads at the sound and saw Yan Zheng appear at the entrance of the prayer hall.
Seated in a wheelchair, his expression was indifferent, yet his presence instantly lifted the spirits of all those present.
"Marquis of Anning is here!"
"Then we are saved!"
Chu Ruoyan froze for a moment—why had he revealed himself?
Rong Su's face brightened as if she wanted to say something, but the monk Liaokong cut in first: "Amitabha, Benefactor Yan..."
Before he could finish, Yan Zheng interrupted, "I wasn't asking you."
Liaokong's face stiffened with embarrassment, while Lady Jiang the Younger stared at Yan Zheng intently before speaking deliberately, "As long as Ruolan is safe, I will keep my word!"
"Good."
With that, Yan Zheng's gaze settled on Chu Ruoyan, his meaning clear—were they leaving or not?
Chu Ruoyan sighed inwardly.
He had already agreed on her behalf—how could she refuse?
But before leaving, she first approached Chu Jing and said, "Aunt, given the situation, the refugees will likely keep coming. Uncle Liu and the others may not hold them off. Perhaps we could ask the temple monks to bring out food from the kitchen. If the refugees do break in, scattering it might buy us some time."
The refugees, driven north by hunger, would surely scramble for food if they saw it.
Chu Jing nodded repeatedly, gripping her hand and urging, "Be careful when you go out with the Marquis of Anning. Don’t take unnecessary risks. If Ruolan can be found, bring her back—but if not, prioritize your own safety!"
Chu Ruoyan nodded, then walked over to Yan Zheng and deliberately leaned down.
He thought she meant to whisper something, but all he felt was the warmth of her breath lingering near his ear for just a moment.
Then she straightened and announced loudly to the crowd, "Do not worry—the Marquis of Anning has assured us that as long as we hold out until dawn, imperial reinforcements will arrive!"
Her words were like a dose of reassurance for everyone.
The abbot declared, "Marquis of Anning, rest assured. No matter how dire the situation, this humble monk will ensure the safety of everyone in the temple!"
Joy spread across every face—except for Rong Su, whose lips trembled slightly, her beautiful eyes brimming with worry. "Brother Yan... please, be careful..."
Brother Yan?
The term made Chu Ruoyan raise an eyebrow slightly.
Hadn’t it been this same Second Miss Rong who had shown such concern for Yan Zheng at Old Madam Cao’s birthday banquet?
Yan Zheng stiffened imperceptibly but still replied, "Don’t worry."
Side by side, the two stepped out and soon vanished into the boundless night.
Rong Su’s gaze remained fixed on the doorway until Xue Ling scoffed, "He’s already gone, Second Miss Rong. Must you keep staring?"
Rong Su gasped and averted her eyes, her cheeks flushing pink.
Zou Yue couldn’t resist adding, "What’s wrong with looking? Now that the Marquis of Anning and your cousin are divorced, both are unattached—and with the bond between their siblings, wouldn’t they make a perfect match?"
The remark sparked murmurs of agreement.
After all, Rong Su’s elder sister, Rong Shan, had married Yan Zheng’s elder brother, Yan Xun. If these two were also united, it would indeed be a fine tale.
Xue Ling was seething, but Chu Jing snapped, "Enough, Ling’er! With danger at our doorstep, this is no time for idle gossip!"
Meanwhile, outside the prayer hall—
Chu Ruoyan stopped in her tracks. "Marquis of Anning, if you have something to say, speak now."
Yan Zheng was momentarily taken aback before replying reflexively, "Rong Su and I have only met a few times—it was my elder brother who took me to the Rong residence to play chess..." Then, seeing her composed expression, he realized that wasn’t what she was asking about.
A faint smile touched his lips. "When did you notice?"
"The moment I saw you. Meng Yang’s loyalty would never allow you to face danger alone, and with your temperament, you wouldn’t reveal yourself in public for my sake. You must be scheming something."
Her tone was cool. Yan Zheng almost protested—it wasn’t entirely like that—but faced with her detached expression, the words died on his tongue.
After a pause, he admitted quietly, "True. Since arriving at Guardian Temple, I’ve sensed someone following me. Yet whether it was Meng Yang capturing Supplier Xu or me traveling alone, they never showed themselves."
A flicker of cold fury passed through his eyes. Only a handful of people knew his whereabouts—who could it be?
Chu Ruoyan understood now. He was using her as a pawn in this game.
Perhaps not just her—Chu Ruolan, Gu Feiyan—the more women involved, the greater the burden.
He was baiting their enemy into making a move.
Such calculation—if he were an enemy, he would be terrifying.
When she remained silent, Yan Zheng’s brow furrowed slightly. "You’re not angry again, are you? This time, I did warn you in advance."
Chu Ruoyan arched an eyebrow. "True—but only after the deed was done."
Yan Zheng blinked, and then the woman before him smiled, her eyes curving like crescents. "Marquis, since I’m already your pawn, shouldn’t I be compensated for my efforts? How about paying me this time?"
Under the moonlight, that smile was dazzling.
Almost without thinking, he agreed—only to realize afterward. "Didn’t Lady Jiang the Younger already promise you authority over the household and three years’ income?"
"That was her offer, not yours."
"Then what do you want?" Yan Zheng narrowed his eyes, sensing that whatever she desired might be beyond his willingness to give.
Suddenly—a piercing scream shattered the night.
Exchanging a glance, the two rushed toward the sound.
At the foot of a rocky outcrop along the mountain path, Chu Ruolan lay sprawled, her ankle seemingly twisted, rendering her immobile. Less than a meter away, a black-scaled venomous snake reared its head, poised to strike.
"Watch out!"
The moment Chu Ruoyan shouted, a stone whizzed through the air.
Chu Ruolan had already squeezed her eyes shut, resigned to death—but the stone struck the snake’s vital spot with deadly precision. The creature writhed in agony before going limp.
Chu Ruoyan hurried over. "Are you alright?"
The usually haughty Third Miss Chu stared blankly before bursting into tears, her dignity forgotten. "I—I got lost! I thought I was going to die... Thank goodness you came!"
She wiped her mud-streaked face with equally dirty hands, smearing it further, and tried to throw herself at Chu Ruoyan.
Chu Ruoyan swiftly sidestepped. "If you’re fine, get up. Your mother is frantic with worry."
Chu Ruolan sniffled and attempted to rise—only to collapse again.
"My... my ankle really hurts..."
Chu Ruoyan massaged her temples. How had someone this clumsy dared to venture out alone?
What had possessed her?
She shot Yan Zheng a look, but he remained aloof, as if this had nothing to do with him. Gritting her teeth, she said, "Get up. I’ll help you walk."
Chu Ruolan brightened immediately, but as she reached out, she hesitated. "But... I still haven’t found Sister Feiyan..."
Chu Ruoyan’s lips twitched. To still be thinking of Gu Feiyan at a time like this—was she hopelessly foolish or just fiercely loyal?
Before she could respond, an icy voice drifted from the darkness:
"No need to search, Third Miss Chu. Your dear Sister Feiyan... is with us."
