Perhaps due to the morning setback, A Fu did not appear all day, resting in the kitchen while A Le bustled about even more busily than when they were traveling at full speed.
Several pots of hot water were boiled for Zhang Gu and the others to wash and soak their feet. Although the courier station lacked fine wine and delicacies, the wild game and mountain provisions stored by the Old Station Chief were quite enticing when prepared.
The stone table was laden with large bowls and small basins. When there weren’t enough chopsticks, branches were used instead. The Couriers and the Old Station Chief sat around together, eating cheerfully.
“These are honey-steamed cakes,” A Le said, carrying a basket over. After a moment’s thought, she moved to A Jiu’s side, set the basket down, and whispered, “They’re soft and sweet.”
Zhang Gu laughed heartily. “That’s right, put them near A Jiu. None of us like sweet or soft things—only he does.”
A Le blushed and hurried away.
A Jiu reached out, grabbed a cake, took a bite, and curled his lip. “Not fragrant or sweet.”
The Old Station Chief chuckled. “This young man is quite picky. Is this your first time traveling far from home?”
“He’s picky at home too,” Zhang Gu said, then teased A Jiu, “Why is A Le so attentive to you? She’s approached you many times today, whereas before she’d always avoid you.”
A nearby Courier sneered. “It’s because he bullied A Fu again this morning. A Le is trying to please him, hoping he’ll treat her sister better. Poor A Fu doesn’t even dare to come out.”
Zhang Gu raised his hand and elbowed A Jiu. “You rascal!”
A Jiu dodged sideways. “What nonsense! You’re overthinking it.”
A Le was indeed trying to please him, but not because he had bullied her sister. And A Fu wasn’t hiding out of fear of being bullied—she was clearly avoiding him because he had exposed her.
As a maidservant, it was only natural for her to be attentive.
As they bantered, A Le returned carrying a pot.
“The wild vegetable soup is ready,” she said, preparing to serve everyone, starting with A Jiu.
But perhaps because it was too hot, her hand slipped, and the soup tilted and spilled.
A Jiu dodged nimbly but still got splashed on his arm. He cried out, “Did you do that on purpose?”
The nearby Couriers weren’t alarmed; they all burst into laughter.
“A Le has been busy all day—it’s only natural she’s tired. Don’t be so petty,” Zhang Gu admonished seriously.
Deep down, everyone thought A Le had done it on purpose, but no one exposed her. After all, A Jiu had bullied her sister.
A Le flusteredly wiped A Jiu’s arm, looking as if she was about to cry from fright. “I’ll wash your clothes for you, sir.”
A Jiu shook her off. “Don’t touch me or my clothes.A Le stood there, at a loss.
“It’s alright, A Le,” Zhang Gu said with a laugh, glancing at A Jiu’s arm. “It’s just a few drops. Why are you making such a fuss? Stop causing trouble and eat quickly.”
A Jiu snorted, rolled up his sleeve, and pointed at A Le. “Stay away from me.”
A Le lowered her head and hurriedly stepped back.
Zhang Gu told A Le to go eat. “We don’t need you to serve us.”
Only then did A Le leave.
The Couriers continued to laugh heartily, finding amusement in A Jiu’s misfortune.
…
…
In the kitchen, A Le handed a letter to A Fu.
“Is this it?” she asked softly.
A Fu sat up on the straw mat, took the letter, and nodded upon seeing the words “For Chu Ling’s Eyes Only” on the envelope.
A Le watched curiously. It was a letter for the General? Who was this A Jiu?
Was it from the court to the General, or was he just delivering it for someone else?"What a coincidence." She felt a flicker of delight again. "To think the young mistress happened to encounter them."
Yes, what a coincidence. A Fu held the letter with a grave expression. She had already made discreet inquiries—these couriers were delivering the finalized military household registry to Yunzhong County, completely unrelated to her father. They weren’t even heading to Luo City, where her father was stationed.
Why was A Jiu carrying a secret letter for her father?
Why would someone in the capital write a secret letter to her father?
Her father—a Garrison General whom everyone avoided, a man with no future prospects.
Her heart pounded wildly as she recalled the words she had heard before her death—words that painted a picture of her father so unfamiliar and unbelievable.
Could those things be true? Was her father truly not as ordinary and incompetent as he appeared?
Just who was this A Jiu?
Zhang Gu said he had been punished and assigned to serve as a courier.
It was all too strange.
She had to see what was written in that letter, especially with the court on the brink of turmoil and chaos. This time, neither she nor her father could afford to be dragged into it again.
A Fu carefully opened the envelope, pulled out a single sheet of paper, took a deep breath, and unfolded it. The next moment, her eyes widened in shock, and she froze, breath caught in her throat.
On the paper were only two words:
Hehe.
...
...
A Fu threw both the letter and envelope into the stove, where they instantly turned to ash.
"What... what do we do?" A Le’s voice trembled with tension. "Did he find out?"
Had he used a fake letter to deceive her?
She rarely made mistakes. Back in the capital, she had turned the eldest master’s residence upside down, making off with so much money and jewelry without anyone noticing.
The last time she had slipped up was when the general caught her. This was the second time.
When A Fu saw those two words, she nearly jumped, but after taking a deep breath and burning the letter, she calmed down.
"Deny everything," she said, staring at the ashes in the stove. "If you weren’t caught in the act, it wasn’t you."
Without evidence, refuse to the end.
"If he makes a fuss, we’ll just cry," A Fu added, watching the flames dance in the girl’s dark eyes. "After all, everyone already knows he bullies us."
A Le nodded, her fear fading. Thinking back, it was a letter for the general—what harm was there in the young mistress taking a look? Even if the general found out, he wouldn’t mind.
Before discovering A Jiu carried this letter, they had been somewhat afraid of him. Now, knowing the truth, they felt bold and unshaken.
She even wished she could reveal the young mistress’s identity outright—these couriers would surely escort her back to the general with the utmost respect.
A Fu understood A Le’s doubts and thoughts, but like most people, A Le didn’t know that it was her father who truly didn’t want her to return.
To ensure she could live peacefully at home, her father had even promised benefits to her uncle.
Her uncle was selfish and greedy—he would never let her return, for fear she would ruin the prospects he had long awaited.
With pursuers behind her and her father likely sending people to block her path if he learned of her plans, she had to conceal her identity this time to have any chance of returning to him.
She had so much to say to her father, so many questions to ask. Most importantly, she couldn’t stay in the capital—the place where her misfortune had begun.
A Fu lowered her gaze and tossed a piece of firewood into the stove.
OpenNovel