Chapter 45: Meeting at the City Gate

When Chu Li emerged, she saw steam rising from rows of large cauldrons, while the crowd of onlookers gathered in the distance only continued to grow, eagerly watching the spectacle.

Seeing Chu Li arrive, Assistant Magistrate Sun hurried over, holding a large soup ladle high.

"Miss Chu, take a look at these cauldrons—are they suitable? What should we put in the broth? Is it better to keep them boiling, or should the temperature be lower?"

The corners of Chu Li’s mouth twitched, and she rubbed her forehead in speech-less amusement.

"It is my fault for not explaining clearly. Magistrate Sun, please have everyone put out the fires beneath the cauldrons. There is no need to boil water; ordinary drinking water will do."

Assistant Magistrate Sun was momentarily stunned, then smiled awkwardly, hurriedly hiding the large soup ladle behind his back.

Fu Heng lifted one side of the curtain with a single hand, his gaze meeting Chu Li's.

He hooked a finger at her, beckoning her over. Chu Li frowned slightly; this fellow was taking things easy, but did she have to go just because he summoned her?

Ignoring him, Chu Li walked over to the foremost cauldron with a purification talisman in hand.

The bailiff had just extinguished the fire and watched curiously as Chu Li pulled out a yellow paper talisman.

Instead of igniting the purification talisman with magical energy in front of the massive crowd, Chu Li borrowed a flint from the bailiff to light the talisman and tossed it straight into the water.

The purification talisman vanished without a trace the moment it touched the water, leaving the clear broth spotless and pristine, which completely dumbfounded the bailiff.

He scratched his head in utter bewilderment. He had clearly seen the yellow paper talisman catch fire right before Miss Chu threw it into the water.

Logically speaking, fire would be extinguished upon meeting water, so there ought to be some residue left in the cauldron.

Yet he hadn't blinked—how could the yellow talisman have simply disappeared?

"What are you standing around for? Hurry up and stir it, then take it to the entrance of the yamen and distribute it to the commoners."

After giving these instructions, Assistant Magistrate Sun looked politely at Chu Li—or more accurately, at the stack of yellow talismans in her hand.

"Miss Chu, do you need any help from this subordinate?"

Chu Li thought for a moment and handed the purification talismans to Assistant Magistrate Sun.

"Magistrate Sun, you only need to ignite a talisman and drop it straight into the water immediately. Please return the remaining talismans to me later. Thank you for the trouble."

Holding the thick stack of purification talismans, Assistant Magistrate Sun felt a heavy weight in his heart. He knew how precious a cultivator's talismans were, and he had merely intended to lend a helping hand; he never expected Miss Chu to hand over an entire sheaf of talismans. This trust deeply warmed his heart.

No wonder even Lord Zhou had remarked that this young lady possessed an upright aura that instantly set people at ease.

Having served at the yamen for so many years, they had seen all sorts of people, yet Miss Chu was one of the very few young people who gave them a genuine sense of reassurance upon closer contact.

Leaving Assistant Magistrate Sun to manage the distribution of the blessed water to the townspeople, Chu Li returned to the Wang family reception hall accompanied by Qiu Yi.

Qiu Yi looked rather worried. "Mistress, is it really wise to hand all those talismans over to that official? What if he harbors dishonest intentions and steals the talismans?"

Though it looked effortless whenever her mistress drew talismans, Qiu Yi had served by her side through several sessions and knew that drawing talismans drained a tremendous amount of spiritual energy. Every time her mistress drew too many, she would invariably show signs of exhaustion.

Chu Li harbored no such worries; she had read Assistant Magistrate Sun's physiognomy and knew he was not the type to misappropriate others' belongings.

"Have you forgotten your mistress's abilities? Rest assured, Assistant Magistrate Sun is an upright man. Go and deliver a message to the Prince for me. Tell him I intend to go to the outskirts of Rongcheng tonight to trace the source of the blood curse, and advise him to make preparations. If he has time, we will gather at the city gates after dark; if he is busy, never mind."

Upon hearing that she had to deliver a message directly to the Prince, Qiu Yi immediately grew nervous and started stammering.

"Mistress, I-I-I... The Prince, h-h-he..." This was practically asking for her life! How could she ever dare to speak to the Prince?

Lifting her eyelids, Chu Li spoke in a tone that brooked no argument.

"Go on. It is high time you toughened up that timid nature of yours. The Prince does not eat people. Just answer whatever he asks, and even if the sky falls, your mistress will hold it up for you."

Realizing her mistress had made up her mind, Qiu Yi lowered her head and shuffled outside with tiny steps. When she finally reached the vicinity of the carriage, a sharp glance from Hei Yu made her shrink her neck in fright, her heart nearly collapsing from the terror.

The shadow guards at the Prince's side were all utterly terrifying. True to being soldiers trained by the Prince himself, merely enduring a direct glance from them made her tremble.

"Business with my master?" Seeing that it was the maidservant from Miss Chu's side, Hei Yu took the initiative to ask.

Qiu Yi lowered her head and nodded, her heart gripped by extreme tension.

Suddenly, the sound of a fabric curtain being lifted came from above. Fu Heng leaned sideways inside the carriage, casting a sidelong glance at Qiu Yi. Seeing that Chu Li was not there, he withdrew his gaze, his tone unusually cold and harsh.

"What is it?"

Qiu Yi shuddered involuntarily, but remembering that she represented her mistress and could not disgrace her, she forced herself to straighten her back and put on a brave front.

"Your Highness, my young mistress sent this maid to deliver a message. She says—"

"Why did your mistress not come herself?" Fu Heng coldly interrupted Qiu Yi, his expression enigmatic.

Inwardly, Hei Yu felt a flicker of displeasure. That Miss Chu certainly possessed an inflated sense of self-importance, actually sending a mere maidservant to convey a message to the Prince. Utterly lacking in decorum.

By this point, Qiu Yi was too nervous to speak further. Cold sweat soaked her back, and when a gust of wind blew, the chill pierced straight through her, which paradoxically helped her regain her composure.

However, Fu Heng's next words completely threw her off balance.

"I hear your name is Qiu Yi? There is a maidservant in my manor who shares the exact same name. What a coincidence."

Qiu Yi's heart skipped a beat, and she kept her head pressed down in sheer terror, terrified that the Prince might catch the uncontrolled expression on his face.

Was the Prince suspecting her? Had she been recognized?

No, that was impossible. Her mistress's disguising techniques were so astounding that even she herself found them unbelievable. Furthermore, she was merely a lowly servant girl in the Prince's estate—how could the Prince possibly pay attention to her, let alone recognize her?

Silently prompting and reminding herself, Qiu Yi managed to steady her fluttering nerves and replied:

"Reporting to Your Highness, this maid is indeed named Qiu Yi. Sharing the same name with a maidservant in Your Highness's manor is this maid's great fortune."

Qiu Yi curtsied slightly. Though a trace of tension and fear remained apparent, no trace of a guilty conscience could be detected.

Fu Heng paused briefly and withdrew his gaze.

He had simply been thinking of the Princess consort—since the only personal maid by her side was named Qiu Yi, he had asked on a whim. As it turned out, he had indeed been overthinking.

Even if their surnames matched and they shared a name, their appearances and everything else were entirely different. How could they possibly be the same person?

"What message did your mistress instruct you to bring me?"

Figuring she had successfully weathered the test, though still secretly anxious, Qiu Yi quickly spoke.

"My mistress says she will wait for you at the city gates after dark to head to the outskirts. I have delivered the message. May Your Highness enjoy peace and health, and this maid takes her leave."

With that, Qiu Yi fled as if escaping from a flood or a ferocious beast, vanishing in the blink of an eye.

Fu Heng maintained a calm expression, yet ripples stirred in the depths of his eyes—he had a distinct feeling of being manipulated.

What scheme was that woman plotting now? Surely she wasn't planning to borrow his *yang* fire again, was she?