Coincidence?
What kind of coincidence is this?
He came to their door just as they were about to leave. If he had arrived a moment later, he would have missed them. How is this a coincidence? Oh, wait—it is a coincidence. If he had been a moment later, he wouldn’t have seen them.
“Please wait a moment, young master…” Ban Qin said with a smile.
Duke Jin’an nodded and watched as she turned and entered the house.
“Ban Qin, tell Miss that if we reduce two carriages, we can move faster…”
Steward Cao walked over from the other side as he spoke but suddenly halted when he noticed the young man standing at the door. When he got a clear look at the visitor, he was even more astonished.
“Hey, you, you… aren’t you that…”
The nighttime valley, the howling of wolves, the rogue youth under the large cloak…
“The kid who lured the wolf pack?” Steward Cao exclaimed, pointing at him.
Duke Jin’an smiled faintly at him.
“Yes, it’s me,” he said, then nodded with a hint of self-mockery. “I’m the kid who lured the wolf pack. I was back then, and I am again now.”
What?
Steward Cao frowned. What did he mean by “back then, and now again”? What was he referring to? Had he lured another wolf pack?
Before he could ask further, Ban Qin emerged from inside.
“Young master, please,” she said with a smile, stepping aside.
But Duke Jin’an did not immediately step forward. Instead, he hesitated for a moment, lifting his gaze to look inside. The courtyard was very small—so small that it seemed one could step directly into the house just by crossing the gate. With the gate open, he could see a girl standing under the corridor at a glance.
She was still wearing that plain-colored dress, draped in a large black cloak. Her delicate, fair face and dark, deep eyes gazed over with a calm expression.
It seemed that whenever he saw her, she was always like this—unwavering. The cold wind blew, lifting her cloak and hair, and for a moment, Duke Jin’an felt as though he had returned to that day.
A girl standing before the crackling bonfire in the howling night wind, seemingly so petite, yet as steady as an anchor, rendering the surrounding chaos—the shouts, horse neighs, and wolf howls—utterly insignificant.
“Burn their noses,” she had said, holding a firebrand, her voice firm, calm, and fearless.
Burn their noses!
Burn their noses!
Burn their weakness!
Duke Jin’an took a deep breath and stepped inside.
Ban Qin was about to follow when Steward Cao pulled her back from behind.
“What does this fellow want here?” he asked.
Ban Qin shook her head.
“Let’s not delay our departure,” Steward Cao said, glancing toward the door with a worried frown. A sense of unease lingered in his heart.
Duke Jin’an sat down. Ban Qin bowed her head, offered tea, and then stepped aside.
“I hope I haven’t delayed your journey,” Duke Jin’an said, speaking his first words.
Ban Qin couldn’t help but glance at him.
Cheng Jiao-niang returned a slight nod but did not respond.
Duke Jin’an smiled, picked up the teacup, drained it in one go, and handed it back to Ban Qin.
“Another bowl, please,” he said, then added with a faint smile, “And if there are any pastries, I’d appreciate some as well.”
Was he… perhaps he hadn’t eaten?
Ban Qin studied the young man and only then noticed the red streaks in his eyes and the exhaustion written across his face.
Had he been traveling through the night?
She quickly acknowledged his request and rose to step out.
Steward Cao stood in the courtyard, watching as Ban Qin busied herself in the kitchen and soon emerged carrying tea, pastries, and side dishes.
“How did this turn into a meal?” he couldn’t help muttering under his breath, glancing up at the sky. “It’s getting late.”
Ban Qin found his behavior somewhat strange.
“Uncle Cao, what’s wrong? Why are you in such a hurry?” she asked.
Steward Cao was taken aback by her question, then offered a wry smile and sighed, his gaze drifting toward the room.
“I’m afraid if we don’t leave soon, it might be too late…” he murmured.
Duke Jin’an reached for a pastry and took a bite.
“Hot, hot!” Ban Qin exclaimed urgently.
But it was too late. Duke Jin’an covered his mouth, hissing sharply as he drew in quick breaths to cool the burn, then hastily reached for the tea beside him to take a sip.
“My apologies, my apologies,” he said with an embarrassed laugh, lifting his sleeve to cover his mouth.
Cheng Jiao-niang smiled faintly but said nothing, quietly lifting her own cup to take a slow sip of water.
After eating two pieces of pastry and drinking a bowl of tea, the young man’s complexion looked much brighter. With renewed energy, he glanced around the room.
The room had been tidied up simply the day before and now appeared somewhat empty.
“Really, I must apologize,” he said with a faint smile, resting his hand on his knee. “I’m afraid I may have caused you some inconvenience.”
Cheng Jiao-niang smiled slightly.
“No one and nothing can inconvenience me,” she replied.
No one and nothing can inconvenience me.
A petite young lady, her expression calm, her voice hoarse and rough. From a lofty perspective, she seemed small and fragile.
Just as she had always been.
Duke Jin’an suddenly felt a sting in his nose.
When he thought about it, the number of times they had met and interacted could be counted on one hand, and the words exchanged during those encounters were even fewer. Yet, Duke Jin’an remembered every one of them.
“Then, this time, I wonder if you can still save me?” he said slowly.
Cheng Jiao-niang shook her head.
“You don’t need me to save you. How could I possibly save you?” she replied with a light laugh.
Ban Qin knelt by the door, her mind drifting, as if she could almost hear the voice of the other Ban Qin in her ears:
“Goodness, what are these two even talking about?”
She couldn’t help but smile faintly and lowered her head.
“My name is Fang Bocong,” Duke Jin’an said with a light smile. He lifted his head, his expression turning serious as he continued, “This is the name my father gave me…”
Father…
Ban Qin jolted as if struck by a sudden realization and looked up abruptly.
What?
Outside, Steward Cao had grown impatient standing in the courtyard and finally walked over to the corridor, gesturing to Ban Qin. But just as he raised his hand, he heard the young man inside introducing himself.
“…I also have another name, given to me by the emperor—the one I go by now. My name is Fang Wei, and my title is Duke Jin’an.”
Steward Cao choked on his breath and nearly stumbled, his outstretched hand not gesturing but instead pointing tremblingly toward the room.
Fang! Title: Duke Jin’an!
There were many people in the world with the surname Fang, but only one family could hold a noble title—the imperial Fang clan.
Duke Jin’an… Duke Jin’an!
It was actually him!
The capital! The capital! Steward Cao’s heart sank. Could the news from the capital be about him?
Duke Jin’an paid no attention to the shock on Steward Cao and Ban Qin’s faces. His gaze remained fixed on the girl before him, noting that she showed no sign of being startled.
“I suppose someone has already told you,” he said with a faint smile.
“Are you referring to your identity?” Cheng Jiao-niang asked.
Duke Jin’an looked at her.
“You were the one who told me,” Cheng Jiao-niang said.
“Me?” Duke Jin’an was taken aback.
“Tea,” Cheng Jiao-niang replied.
Tea…
Duke Jin’an was momentarily taken aback. He had once gifted her tea from the palace, but he had never explicitly told her it was imperial tea… Unless she had encountered it on some occasion where it was mentioned… Some occasion… After all, imperial tribute tea was not something just anyone could taste…
“The Lantern Festival at Imperial Avenue!” he exclaimed, his eyebrows lifting and eyes lighting up as he raised a hand.
Cheng Jiao-niang nodded.
Duke Jin’an smiled, a flicker of joy at having guessed correctly. But joy was always fleeting—especially for someone in his current situation. Perhaps there was no longer any reason for happiness.
“So, I am here seeking medical help,” he said.
Ban Qin, standing under the corridor outside the door, felt her mind could no longer keep up. Compared to the usual times when she couldn’t quite understand, today’s twists and turns were downright dizzying.
A duke! A member of the royal family! Seeking medical help!
What connection could there possibly be between these three?
Cheng Jiao-niang let out a soft “Oh.”
“Not for me. I came ahead—the patient is still on the way,” Duke Jin’an explained. “I know your rules, so I brought the patient here for a consultation.”
Ban Qin, outside the door, had already given up trying to make sense of it all, letting the words flow in one ear and out the other.
Meanwhile, Steward Cao was still deep in thought. Rules—a member of the royal family was actually adhering to their lady’s rules. But he felt no pride or excitement about it. In this world, there was no such thing as a free benefit. While it was certainly gratifying to have one’s rules respected, he couldn’t forget the old saying: When someone shows you undue courtesy, they must want something from you.
Otherwise, when Wu Qi tended to soldiers by sucking pus from their wounds, their mothers wouldn’t have wept so bitterly.
“Alright,” Cheng Jiao-niang nodded and said.
Duke Jin’an looked at her with a smile, bowed, and rose to his feet.
“They are moving slowly and are still behind. I came ahead to find you—I’m so glad I did. Now, I’ll go and fetch them,” he said.
Cheng Jiao-niang stood up to see him off. The young man strode out with a hint of joy, while Ban Qin and Steward Cao bowed their heads in respect by the door.
Just as he reached the entrance, the young man suddenly paused.
“Oh, that’s right,” he turned around, as if remembering something, and looked at Cheng Jiao-niang standing under the corridor. “Were you about to leave?”
He pointed toward the outside with a faint smile.
“Did I delay you?”
Hadn’t he already asked this question?
Ban Qin couldn’t help but glance up at him. Why was he asking again? It seemed as though he wouldn’t rest until he got an answer.
Cheng Jiao-niang looked at him and smiled.
“It doesn’t really count as a delay,” she said. “I hadn’t left earlier because I was preparing. The journey ahead is long, so the preparations took some time. These past few days, everything has been ready. Whether we set off a day earlier or a day later makes no difference.”
“So, this really is quite a coincidence, isn’t it?” Duke Jin’an asked, returning her smile.
Cheng Jiao-niang nodded.
“Yes,” she replied.
Duke Jin’an’s smile widened, gleaming in the morning light. Without another word, he turned and strode away.
“Why did he keep asking that? He repeated it several times,” Ban Qin murmured softly.
“I don’t want to know why he asked,” Steward Cao muttered. “All I know is that, in the end, we didn’t manage to leave in time.”
