Chapter 74: Me Too

Seeing Fang Xu and Gu Bei walking toward him, Old Wu quickly vacated his seat. After all, Old Wu understood perfectly well what his own status was. At this moment, as he looked at Gu Bei behind Fang Xu, the county magistrate’s gaze grew somewhat complex. Yet it was clear that the magistrate treated Gu Bei rather well; otherwise, no one would allow a steward privy to their secrets to leave alive.

The magistrate’s inquiries to Fang Xu naturally revolved around matters concerning the Quanzhen Daoist Temple. In his view, if both Fang Xu and Qiu Chuji had departed, then even if the temple was restored, without Daoists, could it still truly be called the Quanzhen Temple? Fang Xu shared his thoughts with the magistrate, while Old Wu, standing behind him, cast a few glances at Gu Bei, who furrowed his brow ever so slightly. Gu Bei then took a small step forward and whispered into Fang Xu’s ear. Upon hearing Gu Bei’s words, Fang Xu couldn’t help but laugh. He hadn’t expected Gu Bei, newly pledged to him, to help him trick his former master so soon! Fang Xu was quite satisfied by this, for he wanted Gu Bei to understand precisely who now lay at the heart of his service.

Fang Xu then relayed Gu Bei’s suggestion, word for word, to the county magistrate. Thus, the matter of the Quanzhen Temple was smoothly resolved. After all, did Fang Xu truly leave guards behind simply to watch over the temple? Not at all; more importantly, they were meant to monitor the villagers and the county magistrate himself.

Meanwhile, the Quanzhen Temple still bustled with activity, while in Xianyang City, Qin Suwen sat by her bed. For reasons unknown, with Fang Xu absent, Qin Suwen felt something missing.

This left Qin Suwen rather troubled, despite having known Fang Xu for only a short while. Yet he seemed to have taken root in her heart like a demon. Furthermore, Fang Xu’s adopted younger sister, Xiao Ya, sought him out from time to time. Though this initially annoyed Qin Suwen, after several encounters, she found herself growing friendlier toward the little girl. Even Fang Xu himself would never have anticipated that Xiao Ya now called Qin Suwen “Sister Suwen,” a privilege Qin Suwen herself permitted. Perhaps, across all of Great Qin, only Xiao Ya enjoyed such an honor.

“That rascal Fang Xu! How can it take so long to find a mere Daoist temple?” Sitting by her bed, Qin Suwen muttered impatiently. Standing beside her, Xiao Ya, busy fixing her hair, smiled at her Sister Suwen, for she understood Fang Xu’s place in Qin Suwen’s heart.

Even in Xiao Ya’s eyes, she knew the woman before her was the ruler of all Great Qin, the supreme sovereign. Yet she felt no fear, for Qin Suwen exuded not a hint of imperial authority—only the longing of a woman awaiting her beloved’s return.

Love, at times, sweeps in like a whirlwind. Even the coldest of women are powerless before it, and Qin Suwen was far from cold.

“Xiao Ya, do you think Fang Xu might have run into trouble?” Qin Suwen gazed into the bronze mirror, unable to resist voicing her concern.

“Sister Suwen, you’re worrying needlessly; Brother Fang Xu is surely blessed by fortune.” Xiao Ya replied, keeping her head down as she combed Qin Suwen’s hair. Yet she dared not let Qin Suwen see her face, for despite her words, anxiety gnawed at her heart.

“Your Majesty! An urgent missive from Longxi!” A voice called from outside. Upon hearing it was from Longxi, Qin Suwen immediately rose, excitement in her steps as she opened the door. Yet in that instant, her expression was perfectly composed. Gone was the vulnerable woman; in her place stood a sovereign commanding the world.

Taking the letter from the guard, Qin Suwen waved her hand dismissively and closed the door behind her. In the moment the door shut, her taut features relaxed, and she eagerly tore open the seal.

She read the letter carefully—her intense reaction was easily explained. Fang Xu’s journey to the Quanzhen Daoist Temple was in Longxi, and Qin Suwen had ordered that any urgent missive from Longxi be delivered straight to her.

“Has he lost his mind?!” Qin Suwen slammed the letter onto the tea table, her aura startling Xiao Ya.

“Has something happened to Brother Fang Xu?!” Xiao Ya, setting aside her fear, asked urgently, for seeing Qin Suwen’s expression, she was certain something must have happened to Fang Xu—nothing else could provoke such fury.

“He’s planning to head south! Xiao Ya, tell me, has he gone mad?!” Qin Suwen looked at Xiao Ya, who anxiously gazed back, but how could the girl know the gravity of it?

“Forget it—you don’t understand the seriousness of heading south! The southern chieftains are ruthless, killers without conscience; even I must take care when dealing with them. And now, he intends to personally go south to quell the turmoil—does he not court death?!”

Qin Suwen’s agitation was evident, and Xiao Ya finally understood.

“So what should we do? Sister Suwen, you must stop Brother Fang Xu!” Of course, Xiao Ya didn’t want anything to happen to Fang Xu; to her, he was her last family in this world.

“I know, but it’s too late! Someone, prepare a messenger eagle for me!” Qin Suwen called out after some thought.

At this moment, she truly felt flustered by Fang Xu’s sudden actions. Her only recourse was to ask General Bai Qi, who guarded the south, to pay extra attention to Fang Xu.

While waiting for the messenger eagle, Qin Suwen glanced at the crumpled last page of the letter she held, and a genuine smile curled her lips.

On that page were three words: “I feel the same.” It was his reply to the three words she had written at the end of her previous letter.