Jiu Yue understood.
Song Lan was that corrupt official—greedy for wealth and lustful, yet exceedingly cautious. Trying to approach him directly would seem too deliberate, so his son, Song Shu, was the perfect entry point.
"Though Song Lan is no good man, he raised a fine son," Sima Qing remarked with an ambiguous smile. "Song Shu often provides free medical treatment to the common folk around Yunjiang. You'll have plenty of opportunities."
Jiu Yue stroked her chin, now clear about her target and objective. She then asked, "And the timeline?"
Sima Qing looked at her. "By the latest, the third day of next month. I want to see that ledger."
The third day of next month?
That gave her about twenty days. Accounting for travel delays, she had roughly half a month for the mission. That shouldn’t be a problem, right?
As Jiu Yue mulled this over, she noticed Sima Qing giving her a strange look.
Jiu Yue: "……?"
Sima Qing averted his gaze.
Jiu Yue couldn’t be bothered to press further. Clutching the note, she hopped off the table and patted her pants before heading out. "Alright, I’m off, Your Highness. If you have time, remember to check on my dog at the training camp. I asked Old Tao to train him into a fierce, towering beast! Keep an eye on him so the dog doesn’t slack off."
Sima Qing: "……" Was his training camp meant for dogs?!
The study door slammed shut with a bang. He sat in silence for a long while.
At this point, Sima Qing had no choice but to accept that Jiu Yue had truly lost her memory… It didn’t seem like an act—no one could fake her behavior.
She cared so much about money, yet she’d even forgotten the date she entered his manor.
The third day of next month. A hundred taels of gold.
This mission only required Qiu Dongfang and Jiu Yue to head to Yunjiang. Mo Jin and Fu Yu had to stay by Sima Qing’s side in case of emergencies.
Having heard of Jiu Yue’s legendary exploits at the training camp, Mo Jin’s attitude toward her had grown… complicated.
His resentment was gradually morphing into admiration, and he despised himself for it.
As a result, his behavior around Jiu Yue left her utterly baffled.
At the city gates, Mo Jin and Fu Yu saw her off.
"This horse is a fine steed. It may not cover a thousand li in a day, but five hundred is more than manageable," Mo Jin said stiffly as he handed her the reins, then added, "It was His Highness’s order!"
Jiu Yue gave an "Oh," took the reins, and examined the horse curiously.
Mo Jin then passed her a pouch of travel funds. "Fu Yu packed this!"
Jiu Yue accepted it and turned to Fu Yu with a "Thanks."
Fu Yu, who had done nothing: "……"
Mo Jin, who had done everything: "……"
Mo Jin turned and walked away.
Jiu Yue, left with his cold shoulder, frowned at Fu Yu. "Did he swallow a firecracker? Why’s he always looking down his nose at me?"
Fu Yu: "Uh… Maybe he’s just a bit irritable. It’s getting late—you should set off."
It was nearly evening. Sima Qing had originally told her to leave the next day, but Jiu Yue preferred traveling at night when it was cooler.
In the fourth or fifth month, daytime travel could be unbearable.
"Alright, I’m off! I’ll bring you all souvenirs when I return!" Jiu Yue flashed a bright grin, waved, then tugged the reins and dug her heels into the horse’s sides—prompting the animal to bolt off in a chaotic gallop.
Fu Yu: "……"
……
This was Jiu Yue’s first time riding a horse.
She had the knowledge in her head, but her hands were clumsy.
The night breeze brushed past her, and Jiu Yue once again applauded her own brilliance. If she’d ridden like this—swaying and wobbling—in broad daylight, it would’ve been a terrifying sight.
Under the cover of darkness, it was the perfect time to sharpen her skills!
She rode through the night toward her destination. At dawn, she reached a fork in the road.
The clip-clop of hooves halted. Spotting a small tea stall by the roadside, she decided to take a break, ask for directions, and give the horse some rest.
She wasn’t tired, but the horse surely was.
The tea stall was like a highway rest stop. The moment Jiu Yue stepped under the awning, a man approached with a cheerful grin. "What’ll you have, miss? It’s still early—our flatbread isn’t ready yet. If you’d like some, you’ll have to wait a bit."
Jiu Yue waved a hand. "Just a pot of whatever’s cheap."
She had her own bread.
But without something to wash it down, she’d choke halfway to the afterlife.
The man nodded and soon returned with a steaming pot of tea.
The rising steam carried a homely warmth. Jiu Yue watched as the woman at the stall kneaded dough for flatbread while the man briskly wiped tables, swept the floor, and occasionally helped his wife.
They seemed like a married couple.
Perhaps noticing Jiu Yue’s gaze, the woman glanced over and smiled.
"Judging by the dew on your shoulders, you must’ve traveled all night. Where are you headed, miss?" The woman wiped her hands and took a seat across from her.
Jiu Yue poured her a cup of tea and replied casually, "Oh, I’m going to Yunjiang… Could you point me in the right direction, little sister?"
The woman laughed at being called "little sister." "Don’t tease me, miss. My child’s already running around."
Jiu Yue was genuinely surprised. "You have a kid? But you look so young!"
Her tone and expression were so earnest that the woman blushed.
"I’m not young anymore. I’m twenty-four, and my husband’s nearly twenty-seven." The woman’s smile softened at the mention of her family.
Jiu Yue’s shock deepened. "How old’s your kid?"
"Seven this year," the woman said.
Just then, a mischievous-looking boy peeked out from behind a curtain, his eyes brimming with curiosity as he stared at Jiu Yue.
Jiu Yue: "……"
Horrified, Jiu Yue realized that Sima Qing, at twenty-five, was practically ancient.
The woman called her son over and had him greet Jiu Yue as "big sister" before remembering to answer her question. "If you’re going to Yunjiang, take the left path. Don’t go the wrong way."
Jiu Yue pinched the boy’s cheek and asked absently, "And where does the right path lead?"
"That goes to Qingnan… Oh dear, they’re suffering terrible floods there. Many are trapped with no way out. You mustn’t take the wrong road, miss!" The woman warned kindly.
But Jiu Yue’s gaze drifted unconsciously toward the right.
Qingnan…
Prince Ping was there.
With her mission at hand, Jiu Yue had no choice but to head to Yunjiang first.
Even without the mission, she couldn’t recklessly charge off to settle scores with Prince Ping. As Nan Xun had said, this required careful planning.
Convincing herself, she rode on toward Yunjiang. Before long, she received a message from Qiu Dongfang via carrier pigeon.
The pigeons were bred at the training camp. After spending three days there, Jiu Yue had picked up the skill.
The letter provided an address—not far east of her location.
At dawn, as the mist cleared, the two reunited at an inn.
