Hearing Han Yu, Qing Luan nodded at once, relief flooding her features.
"Yes. Yes, of course. I understand."
The driver echoed her.
"We will obey completely. Thank you, honored disciple."
Han Yu inhaled slowly, as if deciding whether this annoyed him or amused him.
Then he gave a single curt nod.
"Very well. I will accompany you for a while."
Qing Luan let out a shaky breath of relief she had been holding in. Her eyes became glossy again, but this time with gratitude rather than fear.
Han Yu kept his cold mask.
Inside, however, his thoughts were sharp and focused.
Something was wrong with the Qing clan.
And now he had a way to learn what.
Han Yu stepped into the carriage without a word, brushing past the driver who bowed low and scurried to regain his seat at the front. As the door shut quietly behind him, he took in the carriage's interior.
It was… comfortable. Much more than he had expected of something traveling alone through bandit territory.
