TGCFNM -Chapter 477 Setting Out Together

At the estate, Chu Ling and the others hadn’t waited long before the imperial edict arrived: they were to set out in three days.

So the group decided to rest at the estate and, when the three days passed, depart directly from there and meet others outside the city gates.

Zhang Dong guided the carriage to a slow stop.

Xiao Hua sat beside him, tilting her head toward the city gate. When she spotted a familiar figure, she happily waved.

“Qing… Lord Jiang Wu!”

Qinglong’s neck stiffened, and he instinctively reached for his face—hadn’t he already changed his appearance?

“Lord Jiang Wu, come quickly! Or we’ll be leaving without you!” Xiao Hua called cheerfully.

Qinglong kept his face rigid and walked over heavily. Just as he was about to speak, Xiao Hua interrupted him. Then Chu Ling leaned out and asked, “Did Prince Rui send you back? Nod if yes.”

Qinglong nodded once.

“You’re guarding the city gate now, but you have people under your command, right?” Chu Ling asked.

Qinglong furrowed his brow and nodded again.

Chu Ling frowned slightly, thinking for a moment before asking, “Zhuque returned with Young Master Xiao, and Baihu was summoned back by the Nangong family. Now you’re guarding the city gate—what about Xuanwu? Did he join the Imperial Guard?”

Qinglong’s expression changed in surprise.

Chu Ling suddenly understood—everyone had returned. So this had all been a preemptive preparation.

“This time, he’ll come along too,” Qinglong said, then tried to run off.

Chu Ling hesitated, “Xuanwu?”

Qinglong nodded and was about to turn away, but after a few steps, he returned, looking very serious as he said to Chu Ling, “New update—deduct one thousand taels.”

Chu Ling raised an eyebrow slightly and smiled. “Alright.”

Only then did Qinglong finally turn and leave.

As Qinglong returned to guard the city gate, two carriages drove out side by side. One was driven by Qingtong, and the other by an unfamiliar coachman.

Behind these two carriages, a plainly dressed, stern-faced middle-aged man rode a horse, leading a dozen or twenty people, as if escorting the carriages ahead.

Just as the carriages were about to approach, Qingtong suddenly stopped, and everyone halted as well.

The curtains lifted, revealing Fu Qingyu and… Chu Yue walking out together. Chu Yue, dressed as a man and holding a folding fan, looked elegant and confident.

The two walked out like that, looking at Chu Ling’s carriage with gentle smiles, calm and natural.

Chu Ling instinctively ducked her head, and after a moment of hesitation, lifted the curtain, leading Wan Sanjin and Su He out.

At the same time, Young Master Xiao’s curtain was lifted. Zhuque and Chu Rou each stood to the side, while Young Master Xiao, looking unwell, stood in the middle, seeming to struggle even to smile and greet.

The three of them immediately clasped their hands in a formal greeting: “Greetings to Young Master Xiao and Master Fu,” then extended their right hands in a gesture of invitation: “Please, you go first!”

Fu Qingyu found it amusing, but Chu Yue called out, “Sanjin?”

Wan Sanjin didn’t even look up, motioning for them to hurry along.

Chu Yue’s smile faded slightly, her voice tinged with lament: “Why? Not willing to set out together with friends like us?”

“Since we’re investigating this case by imperial decree, how dare they stick too close to us?” Fu Qingyu said, retracting his smile slightly and stepping back into the carriage first.

Chu Yue followed, and Qingtong once again urged the carriage to trot forward.

Behind them, Heir Xiao lagged a step, greeting the three before closing his eyes with a hint of fatigue.

Chu Rou looked at Chu Ling and gave a slight bow, silently thanking her for what had happened that night.

Chu Ling forced a small smile, keeping silent about the fact that the black-clad figure that night had been her.

Zhuque smiled as she greeted everyone, then allowed the carriage driver to move on.

After the people ahead had left, the group who had been bending over for a while straightened up, each holding their waist in pain as they recovered their posture.

At that moment, Xuanwu rode up slowly, bowing slightly to Chu Ling. “Lord Chu, I am Xuanwu.”

“Greetings, Lord Xuanwu,” Chu Ling said with a friendly smile.

Xuanwu was the type who rarely smiled, a disciplined martial practitioner, but he returned the greeting politely: “Lord Chu, Prince Rui mentioned that you are naturally carefree, act without method, speak whatever comes to mind, and often spout nonsense. He instructed me to stay as close to you as possible.”

“I, however, believe Prince Rui is overthinking. Since we are jointly investigating this case by imperial order, we should naturally advance and retreat together, helping each other along the way.”

Chu Ling nodded repeatedly. “Exactly, exactly.”

Xuanwu bowed again in farewell and, with his men, took the lead.

Once the people ahead had gone, Zhang Dong and the others waited for Chu Ling to return to the carriage before urging Zhui Feng and Xiao Hei to follow slowly.

Xiao Hua stepped into the carriage and asked, “Lord, does Lord Xuanwu mean he’s here to guard you?”

Chu Ling shook her head. “No, he means we can ask him for help if needed.” Behind this, of course, was Prince Rui’s instruction.

Xiao Hua understood and went out to inform her elder brother.

Lowering her voice, Chu Ling said, “Fu Qingyu and Lanyu—no, now Chu Yue, should be using the alias Shi Lanyu. Behind them are likely the Empress Dowager and the Emperor.”

“Heir Xiao is Prince Qi, and he himself was one of those involved in the power struggle. Xuanwu, clearly, belongs to Prince Rui, while we have been directly assigned to Prince Rui’s faction.”

“So it’s essentially several factions heading out together to find the rebels,” Su He said, noting the fairness of it.

Wan Sanjin frowned at them. “Shi Lanyu is Chu Yue’s matter, known to Fu Qingyu, Heir Xiao, Chu Rou, and Zhuque—and of course, we know as well.”

He then looked at Chu Ling.

This meant all three Chu family young ladies were present together.

“If everyone knows, then how did she manage to appear in front of others?” Su He asked in puzzlement.

Chu Ling thought for a moment and understood. “First, I can’t reveal anything. If Chu Yue’s identity were exposed, I’d be implicated as well, and the same goes for Chu Rou. Fu Qingyu and Chu Yue are cooperating, so they won’t reveal anything either. Heir Xiao needs Chu Yue’s help, so he wouldn’t say anything either.”

Since none of these people intended to speak, Chu Yue could naturally appear openly under the Shi Lanyu identity.

“How could Chu Yue possibly help Heir Xiao?” Su He asked, incredulous. “Is he really so foolish that he didn’t notice Half-Moon Mountain’s huge trap?”

“Ultimately, it’s still driven by interests,” Chu Ling said quietly. “Perhaps Heir Xiao hopes Chu Yue will change her mind and return to his side, helping him ascend to the throne.”

Wan Sanjin looked speechless. “…Chu Yue isn’t stupid or foolish.”

“Men can be arrogant sometimes,” Su He said seriously. “They think they can control everything.”

Chu Ling nodded. Royals are especially like that.