"Alas!"
The old lady could only nod at Song Chaoyu, then instructed the maid beside her, "You accompany the young lady here and wait."
The maid followed Song Chaoyu, and the old lady first took the eldest madam upstairs.
This small town was bustling with people, but because many merchant caravans and official families passed through regularly, no one paid much attention to Song Chaoyu.
Song Chaoyu waited here until the last ray of sunset disappeared between the mountaintops.
Yet, she still hadn't seen the figures of Tiaohong and Qiuqing, and her heart grew increasingly anxious.
The old lady had already sent someone to call her once, but knowing Song Chaoyu's temperament, she could only let her be.
—
It wasn't until the old lady sent someone down for the third time, and Song Chaoyu still hadn't seen Tiaohong, that a familiar figure suddenly walked towards Song Chaoyu.
Seeing that it was a man, he was wearing a brocade robe and smiling as he approached Song Chaoyu.
The first time Song Chaoyu saw this man, she felt he was familiar, but for a moment, she couldn't recall where she had seen him.
Until this person walked up to Song Chaoyu and spoke in a sharp, high-pitched voice, "Miss Song, we have found Tiaohong and Qiuqing. Will you come with me?"
Song Chaoyu suddenly remembered who he was, "You are... Xiao Ruizi?"
The little eunuch who followed Mu Changxi, who made excellent flower tea, why would he appear here?
Song Chaoyu was extremely puzzled. Seeing that she recognized him, Xiao Ruizi's eyes narrowed into a smile, "It is indeed this servant! Would you trouble yourself to come with me? It is not convenient to speak here!"
Since he was someone from Mu Changxi's side, Song Chaoyu had no reason to doubt him.
But her grandmother's maid...
As if sensing Song Chaoyu's hesitation, Xiao Ruizi spoke to the maid first, "Go and tell your grandmother that I am from the county magistrate's yamen. Rest assured, I will return your young lady, Tiaohong, and Qiuqing within an hour. Tell the old lady not to worry."
The maid glanced at Song Chaoyu. Seeing Song Chaoyu nod, she then turned and entered the inn.
Song Chaoyu did not suspect anything and followed behind Xiao Ruizi.
Xiao Ruizi led Song Chaoyu towards the other end of the town, and did not forget to smile at Song Chaoyu, "Fourth Miss trusts me so much, aren't you afraid I'm a bad person?"
Song Chaoyu paused for a moment before replying, "If you were a bad person, His Highness Prince Chang would not have kept you by his side whenever he saw me. Although I haven't seen you many times before, I always felt that His Highness Prince Chang trusted you greatly. Since you are someone he trusts, you are naturally someone I should trust."
Song Chaoyu's words were spoken naturally, and Xiao Ruizi seemed a little moved, "The person His Highness Prince Chang cares about is indeed extraordinary. Although I was not serving His Highness Prince Chang before, I knew about His Highness and the young lady. So, please rest assured, this servant is trustworthy."
He led Song Chaoyu all the way to the posthouse at the other end of the town.
It was dark, and there were no people around the posthouse.
Only the sound of horses echoed around the posthouse, making the small town even quieter.
Song Chaoyu entered the posthouse and saw a familiar figure—
It seemed that ever since he became Prince Chang, they always met in this way.
She stood at the door, and he sat in his wheelchair, his back to Song Chaoyu.
Only when he heard the movement at the door did he turn his head.
Song Chaoyu was stunned, and it felt as if she were dreaming.
But Mu Changxi's true appearance was before her eyes, making her unable to help but ask, "You... why are you here?"
After asking, she realized she shouldn't speak like this.
Song Chaoyu quickly lowered her head and saluted Mu Changxi, "Greetings, Your Highness Prince Chang—"
"Enough."
Mu Changxi waved his hand at Song Chaoyu, somewhat helplessly, "You don't have to be like this every time you see me. I heard that someone intended to harm you, so I rushed here. I didn't expect to be too late, but fortunately, you escaped danger. I have also found Tiaohong and Qiuqing. Tiaohong sprained her ankle and was entangled by a group of beggars at the time. Now that I've brought her to your side, I hope you can be at ease."
So... he rushed from the capital because he knew about this?
Song Chaoyu's heart was filled with mixed emotions. She couldn't quite describe her feelings towards Mu Changxi now, nor could she understand Mu Changxi's intentions towards her.
It felt as if they were sometimes close and sometimes distant.
And it also felt as if they both had each other in their hearts.
"Miss!"
Tiaohong was behind them. Hearing Song Chaoyu's voice, she limped on one leg, supported by Qiuqing, and headed towards Song Chaoyu.
She was covered in dirt, and her clothes were torn in many places, clearly indicating that her "escape" had not been smooth.
But apart from being frightened and spraining her ankle, she seemed to have no other serious issues, which put Song Chaoyu at ease, "Tiaohong, are you alright!"
Tiaohong could no longer care about master-servant etiquette. She walked up to Song Chaoyu and threw herself into Song Chaoyu's arms, "Miss, this servant is fine! I am happy that Miss is concerned about me. Fortunately, His Highness Prince Chang found me in time, otherwise, I would have truly feared not seeing Miss again!"
Song Chaoyu hugged her, and with one hand, she also held Qiuqing's hand, "Qiuqing, are you alright too?"
Qiuqing's usually indifferent gaze showed a hint of gentle smile, "Miss, please rest assured, I am also fine."
Mu Changxi nodded and smiled, but his smile always carried a hint of distance, "I left the capital without authorization. I hope that besides your grandmother, you will not mention this matter to anyone else."
Saying this, he glanced behind him, "And... those who intended to harm you, I will deal with them."
So he had already captured those people?
Song Chaoyu did not want to plead for those people, but she suddenly remembered something, "Your Highness Prince Chang, this humble woman dares to ask a question. How was Your Highness's relationship with Princess Tiele when you were in the Southern Kingdom?"
This question made Mu Changxi pause.
Song Chaoyu also realized that perhaps she shouldn't have asked. After all, the person who was in the Southern Kingdom all those years ago was not the Mu Changxi before her, was it?
But Mu Changxi only pondered for a moment before nodding at Song Chaoyu, "My relationship with Princess Tiele was good. However, she disappeared many years ago. Why do you suddenly ask about this?"
Song Chaoyu also said, "Princess Tiele will accompany us to the capital. I am informing Your Highness that she is also different from before. However, her affairs are for her to tell Your Highness herself."
Mu Changxi suddenly understood, "No wonder they let you go. It's related to Tiele, isn't it?"