Then, then what else?
She had already told him she wouldn't lose her temper with him because of past events, why was he still relentless?
Miss Jun was somewhat annoyed and embarrassed.
"Then hurry up and continue the journey," she said, pushing him aside to go and grab the horse.
It was hard enough to get to this point; how could it just end like this?
Zhu Zan grabbed hold of her arm, refusing to let go.
"I've said my part, now won't you say something?" he asked.
Miss Jun's embarrassment and annoyance intensified, feeling extremely uncomfortable being held by him.
"Say what? Haven't I already said?" She forcefully tried to shake him off as she spoke.
Say what?
What he wanted to hear and hoped she would say was regarding the future, but not about not losing her temper with him anymore.
"I've already said I like you, what about you?" Zhu Zan said.
It's liking you, not liking Chu Jiuling nor Miss Jun, but you.
As he spoke these words, his ears and face felt hot, instinctively grinding his foot on the ground, wishing he could rub a hole in it and jump inside, then cover himself with dirt, stamp it firmly with his foot, only then would his heart find peace.
Miss Jun, hearing these words, didn't look much better; she was a bit flustered but seeing Zhu Zan like this made her want to laugh.
Since he was more flustered than she was, she felt slightly more at ease.
"Oh," she said.
What does 'oh' mean? Zhu Zan couldn't help but shake her arm.
Miss Jun, embarrassed and annoyed, shook herself free.
"I don't know," she said.
What's there not to know!
"You, you don't want to be responsible," Zhu Zan held onto her arm tightly in agitation.
"How could I be irresponsible for whatever I've done to you, why should I be responsible?" Miss Jun said, feeling both amused and annoyed.
The words had come to this point, no longer shy about it.
"Anyway, you need to give me an answer," Zhu Zan said in a muffled voice, looking at her, "Do you like or dislike me."
Finally, he explicitly asked this question.
Clearly pointing out you, asking about me, without evasion or procrastination.
Unable to escape and avoid, people become calm instead.
The panic and annoyance dissipated, Miss Jun seriously pondered.
"Hmm," she said, "I don't dislike."
Is 'not disliking' the same as 'liking'? Zhu Zan also seriously pondered for a moment.
"I simply don't dislike you," Miss Jun continued, looking at him with a serious yet calm expression, "As for liking, I don't know."
Don't know? Zhu Zan seriously looked at her.
What is liking? Is it constantly thinking about someone, feeling happy when you see them, wanting to be with them forever?
She had once liked like that too.
Miss Jun's expression became a bit pensive, thinking about the person she married, the one she wanted to grow old with, which turned out to be false and disgraceful.
She felt somewhat saddened and indignant.
Of course, she knew that people weren't the same, and matters couldn't be treated the same; now, judgments can't be based on that.
Now...
"Right now, I'm not thinking about liking or disliking," she looked at Zhu Zan, eyes bright, expression earnest, "Because I don't know what to do after liking."
Yes, she was Chu Jiuling, her father's murder still unknown to others, her siblings imprisoned with uncertain fate.
Most importantly, she didn't say no, she said she didn't know.
What is unknown now will eventually be known.
If she doesn't dislike now, she might come to like in the future.
Zhu Zan's expression also returned to calm.
"No rush," he said with a slight smile, "I'll ask you again later, and you can answer then."
This issue seems resolved for now.
The question seemed unanswered.
But Zhu Zan looked at Miss Jun, and Miss Jun looked at him, the previous fluster returned to calm, yet there was a distinct feeling.
"Then let's go," Miss Jun said, without avoiding, her gaze fixed on him.
Zhu Zan also didn't avoid.
"Let's go," he said.
Miss Jun, however, didn't move.
"Then let go of my hand first," she said.
Zhu Zan was momentarily stunned, only then realizing he was still holding her arm. Awkwardly, he released her, feeling both flustered and amused, then genuinely laughed.
Miss Jun glared at him and also laughed.
Unlike the previous embarrassment and panic, both felt their laughter was light and pleasant at the moment; yet the two horses beside them sneezed, swung their tails to look over, seemingly puzzled as to why their owners were looking at each other silly and laughing.
Meanwhile, a minor incident involving two sheep had spread throughout An Country. A galloping horse rushed out of the city but didn't get far before being stopped.
"Sir, I'm a posthouse soldier," the soldier who was pulled off the horse said in a bewildered expression, holding out a scroll from his bosom, "These are posthouse letters."
A team stood solemnly in front of him, their armor intimidating, with bows drawn and ready to shoot.
The leading general looked at him coldly, making no motion to take the scroll he handed.
"There's a higher order, the relay station needs to investigate the horses, and the transmission of posthouse letters is suspended," he said, gesturing, "Please return."
The posthouse soldier looked surprised.
"I haven't received such news," he said, looking troubled, "Sir, you see these letters are highly important, in case of delay..."
"If delayed, the higher-ups will be responsible, you don't need to worry," the general coldly interrupted him.
The posthouse soldier wanted to say something more, but the soldiers over there berated him in unison, aiming their bows at him.
"If you don't retreat, you'll be considered resisting military orders and executed immediately," they shouted.
The posthouse soldier had no choice but to get up hurriedly, leading the horse back, with the soldiers always aiming their bows at him from behind, until he entered the city.
"Move, guard strictly," the leading general said, turning his head to see the civilians retreating from the road, watching the scene out of curiosity.
Seeing his gaze, the civilians hastily avoided and backed away.
"And you, as the two countries are near, have you engaged in espionage?" the general coldly asked.
The civilians hurriedly waved their hands, with some kneeling.
"Dare not, dare not."
"May the officer discern clearly."
These people seemed local, carrying goods on their shoulders; the general glanced over them without further attention, riding off with his men.
Only after the soldiers left did the civilians raise their heads, feeling curious and uneasy but not daring to discuss much, quickly dispersing. Among them, a man carrying two wild chickens and a bundle of firewood showed a slightly serious expression, glanced at the city gates with noticeably increased soldiers, and bowed his head, striding forward quickly.
...
...…..
"What happened?"
Watching Zhu Zan walk out of the relay station, his expression noticeably different from previous times, Miss Jun hurriedly stepped forward to ask.
"Any news?"
Zhu Zan looked solemn.
"You were right, no news is good news," he said.
So there was news; otherwise, he wouldn't look this way.
Perhaps it's been all bad news he's been hearing, so it doesn't feel like much, instead has a sense of a shoe finally dropping.
"What is it?" Miss Jun asked calmly.
...….
...…
"Zhu Shan."
In court, a censor turned around and pointed at the Duke of Chengguo in the lineup, his voice heavy as he spoke.
"Do you acknowledge your guilt?"
The Duke of Chengguo lifted his head and stepped out of the lineup.
"I don't know," he spoke calmly.
The censor stepped forward, raising the wood plate in his hand.
"Did you secretly order the northern lands' soldiers to have discord with the Jurchen people?" he asked sternly, "Did you incite the soldiers into conflict with the Jurchen people?"
The emperor seemed somewhat surprised and uneasy.
"Duke of Chengguo, is there such a matter?" he asked.
This wasn't the Grand Court; only important civil and military officials were present in Qingzheng Hall, not many in number, but each held high positions and wouldn't speak lightly — although one exception existed.
Huang Cheng's gaze fell on a young official standing at the end of the line; it was Ning Yunzhao, someone with insufficient qualifications and rank who shouldn't have been there.
Yet the emperor used the excuse of the Diary official being ill to let Ning Yunzhao attend to him.
Regardless of whether Ning Yunzhao was qualified for the place, that official wasn't even ill.
The emperor, wanting to hear flattering words and receive praise, surprisingly did something so absurd, truly outrageous!
Huang Cheng felt deeply pained because of this.
Nonetheless, hopefully you'll still praise the emperor today, placing his orders above all, so you can be dealt with later.
Huang Cheng withdrew his gaze from Ning Yunzhao, returning to look at the Duke of Chengguo, without concealing his frigidness.
The evidence is clear; let's see how you rebut.
"I," Duke of Chengguo bowed, "indeed have done it."
He admitted?
The censor and Huang Cheng were slightly surprised by this, while Ning Yunzhao at the end of the lineup sighed quietly.
It seemed the Duke of Chengguo meant business.