Zhu Qingyu had been thinking about these words for a long time before speaking them. They were the result of careful weighing of pros and cons, repeated deliberation.
She had anticipated Gu Zhao's reactions—disappointment, anger, even the possibility of him jumping out of the carriage and disappearing for a few days. She was prepared for all of it.
But what Zhu Qingyu never expected was that Gu Zhao simply sat down in the carriage, even adjusted himself into a more comfortable position, and then looked at her and laughed.
Zhu Qingyu didn't understand why he was laughing. She emphasized again, "Don't think I'm saying this out of anger. I've thought it through seriously before giving you my answer."
Gu Zhao leaned against the carriage, tilted his head back with a sigh, then turned to look at her. He even blinked at her, laughing even more joyfully, his tone light and cheerful: "Qingyu, do you know? That day at the Zhu family's medical clinic in Yangzhou, when you said you already had a husband and kicked me and Xie Ze out the door, I was sitting in the carriage just like this. What I thought was, 'Fine, she's not the only one for me. I'll never darken her doorstep again.' I considered myself a person of strong will, and I genuinely believed I could let you go. But look at us now—have we ever truly been able to call it quits? You think of yourself as cold and pragmatic, but so what? When love reaches its peak, human effort cannot overcome it. If I couldn't succeed in letting you go, do you really think you can?"
Zhu Qingyu hadn't expected this twist—she had used almost the exact same words with him. No wonder he was laughing so cheerfully.
Gu Zhao continued, "You said that for you to be with me, you'd have to overcome great difficulties and pay a huge price. But that's not the only option. There are always ways to get things done in this world. For you to come to me is one way. For me to go to you is another. The difficulties, the costs—these are things for me to bear when I come to you, not for you to bear. Let me overcome the difficulties, let me pay the price, so I can come to your side. What do you say?"
In the dim light of the carriage, Gu Zhao's eyes as he looked at her were so bright, as if filled with starlight.
He was twenty-three now, long past the age of youth. Yet at this moment, the sentiment he expressed was as pure and fervent as a young man's.
In his eyes, Zhu Qingyu saw herself as if she were glowing.
Words are easy, actions are difficult.
Logically, Zhu Qingyu felt that whether she paid the price or Gu Zhao did, neither outcome was ideal. Why did anyone have to pay a price at all? Life was hard enough already; why not choose a path where everyone could be comfortable and at ease?
But emotionally, the sincerity that Gu Zhao showed at this very moment made her heart race uncontrollably.
There were loves beyond love.
Perhaps many years later, even not so far into the future, even they—who now pledged vows as strong as mountains and seas—might grow weary of each other, become enemies, fight to the death, never meet again, just like countless estranged couples in this world.
But at this moment, at least this moment, his feelings for her and her feelings for him were genuine.
For the sake of this sincerity, Zhu Qingyu remained silent for a moment.
Gu Zhao did not urge her for an answer. He simply continued to look at her, his eyes still full of stars.
As the two were silently gazing at each other, a sudden commotion arose at the front of the procession. Looking into the distance, they saw a fully armed troop charging toward them on horseback, kicking up clouds of dust in a grand and overwhelming manner.
Unable to tell friend from foe at a glance, the guards on duty reacted swiftly, grabbing swords and spears or drawing bows and arrows, mounting their horses and rushing forward to protect the Eldest Grand Princess's carriage.
Gu Zhao also dismounted from the carriage, led his horse, and said to Zhu Qingyu:
"To be safe, you must stay in the carriage. I’ll go ahead and take a look."
With the guards making such a stir, no one else could remain at ease. People packed away their bowls and abandoned their meals, returning to carriages and wagons to avoid being left behind.
Even Su Mu and Lin Lan rushed over from behind, climbed onto the carriage, and asked with some panic:
"Doctor Zhu, what’s happening?"
Zhu Qingyu leaned by the carriage window and watched as the approaching troop gradually drew near. Suddenly, the archers at the front withdrew their aim. She said:
"They must be our people. I suspect Dingsheng Pass has sent someone to escort us."
Sure enough, the riders dismounted and walked toward the Eldest Grand Princess’s carriage.
They were only a few dozen miles from Dingsheng Pass—practically at their doorstep. The Eldest Grand Princess had sent someone ahead to notify their arrival, so it was reasonable to expect an escort. However, it was odd that the escort was not a ceremonial guard but fully armed soldiers.
Just as she was pondering this, another stir came from the direction of the Eldest Grand Princess’s carriage. A group of people mounted their horses and rode toward Zhu Qingyu’s carriage. Leading them was the Eldest Grand Princess herself, with Gu Zhao following closely behind.
Zhu Qingyu quickly stepped down from the carriage. With only one carriage in between, the distance was short, and the Eldest Grand Princess soon arrived. She said:
"Doctor Zhu, the northern barbarian enemy is currently attacking the pass. General Wen is bedridden due to a seasonal epidemic. I need you to return to Dingsheng Pass with me immediately. What do you think?"
Zhu Qingyu clasped her hands and replied:
"It is my duty. I obey your command."
Behind the Eldest Grand Princess, Gu Zhao extended his hand to her:
"Lord Zhu, I’ll take you with me."
Zhu Qingyu had learned to ride a horse during her time in Yangzhou, but her skills were rusty. She could manage a leisurely spring outing, but there was no way she could keep up with a forced march of several dozen miles at the army’s pace.
This was no time for affectation. Zhu Qingyu nodded to Gu Zhao:
"Vice Minister Gu, thank you."
Just as she was about to mount the horse, Su Mu called out from behind:
"I’m coming too!"
The Eldest Grand Princess had already turned her horse to leave but stopped upon hearing Su Mu’s voice. She asked:
"Who are you?"
Su Mu clenched her fists, nervous but with a clear and firm voice:
"I am a healer, Su Mu! I wish to follow Doctor Zhu and go with her."
This was what Zhu Qingyu had taught Su Mu and the others in the past few days. If they wanted to follow her to Dingsheng Pass to treat the epidemic, they needed a proper identity. "Healer" was a suitable title for anyone working in medicine.
Behind her, Lin Lan’s voice, though softer, also rang out:
"I will go too. I am a healer, Lin Lan."
Then came two loud, clear voices:
"I will also go! Healer Tian Guihua!"
"Healer Zhao Chunmiao!"
The Eldest Grand Princess looked at these people and replied:
"Loyal and righteous souls, please come!"
With that, the Eldest Grand Princess turned her horse and, as she passed the carriage of the Wen family’s daughter, called out:
"Hui'er, I leave this place to you."
The eldest daughter of the Wen family had already stepped down from the carriage, her answering voice equally calm and composed:
"Yes, Mother."
The Eldest Grand Princess said no more, taking the lead and heading straight toward Dingsheng Pass.
Gu Zhao followed closely behind, raising his whip as he rode alongside her.
Zhu Qingyu had never ridden a horse at such speed. The entire journey, she clung tightly to Gu Zhao's waist to keep from being jolted off.
With plague ahead and war raging behind, in such a time of crisis, the group traveled without a single pause, not even stopping to drink water. Finally, as the sun set, they arrived at Dingsheng Pass.
Outside the pass, the sounds of battle shook the heavens; inside the pass, flames blazed into the sky.
The ashes of cremated bodies drifted through the air like snowflakes. The last glimmer of twilight fell upon Zhu Qingyu, gilding her in a golden radiance as if touched by the divine.
On what was meant to be a night of family reunion for the New Year's Eve, the physician from another world, Zhu Qingyu, after four long years and a journey of a thousand li, had finally reached her battlefield.
The battlefield of a healer.
