Chapter 25: Returning to Rong City, the Original Owner's Hometown

The two of them returned to Luohe Town in silence. Chu Li, having no desire to spend any more time alone with Fu Heng, offered a casual bow and prepared to head back to the inn, only to be stopped by his soft voice.

Fu Heng stepped closer, his familiar and invasive presence looming over her. Chu Li could not help but hold her breath. Having once been her lover, and indeed the very type of man she was drawn to, he still had the power to make her heart race against her will. Yet, any fleeting sense of intimacy was instantly shattered by his cold words.

"I am quite curious, Miss Chu. Who exactly are you? You give me a rather peculiar feeling—especially your scent. It always feels somewhat familiar. You..."

Panic surged through Chu Li. She had forgotten that Fu Heng possessed extraordinary internal energy; among martial artists, he was a master of the highest caliber, and his perception of auras was inevitably sharper than most. Although they had not spent much time together in total, they had been husband and wife in the most intimate sense. In the past, when they were in bed, he had been particularly fond of inhaling the scent of her skin. Could he have sensed something?

Fu Heng leaned down, his face dropping until their eyes met. They were no more than a fist’s width apart, their breathing mingling—an ambiguity laced with a distinct sense of danger. Chu Li swallowed hard, her fingernails digging deep into her palms as she forced herself to remain calm.

Fortunately, after a brief probe, Fu Heng stepped back two paces and closed his eyes with a cold, detached air. He confirmed it once more: he was certain that Chu Meng was not his Li-er. When his Li-er looked at him, her eyes were exceptionally captivating—especially in the dead of night like this, they would bewitch him and draw out the deepest desires from his soul. The way his Li-er looked at him had been filled with adoration and a hint of possessiveness—a gaze that had intoxicated him, one he could never forget for the rest of his life.

But this Chu Meng before him—although her eyes held a trace of a resemblance to Li-er’s, now that they were so close, he felt not a shred of that former love or infatuation. Instead, there was only wariness and distance. She was definitely not his Li-er.

Fu Heng admitted that he had once been a man of utter self-restraint, cold to the extreme. In the past, noble ladies in the capital had exhausted every means to seduce him, yet he had felt nothing—he had even wanted to execute them all just to keep them out of his sight. That was until he met Chu Li. The sight of her—ragged and blood-stained in the desolate wilderness—had instantly made him lose control and stirred emotions within him for the first time. He had once asked his shadow guards, who had experience with such matters, if it was love at first sight, or perhaps lust. But at the time, Chu Li had been in such a wretched state, her face so covered in blood, that he hadn't even been able to see her features clearly.

Perhaps, from the very beginning, it was those enchanting eyes of hers that had ensnared his soul. And so, at this moment, he was absolutely certain that the woman before him was not his Princess; she did not have those eyes.

"Your Highness? If there is nothing else, this commoner will take her leave." Seeing Fu Heng’s unreadable expression, Chu Li felt guilty and only wished to escape as quickly as possible.

Fu Heng snapped back to reality and sighed inwardly. Whenever it concerned Chu Li, he always lost his composure and acted out of character in front of others. "Miss Chu, do not misunderstand. I merely felt you were different from other sorcerers and grew curious. You have contributed to the resolution of the Luohe Town incident, and I shall report your merits to the Emperor to request a reward for you."

Request a reward for her? Wouldn't that mean she would become famous?

Chu Li shook her head immediately. "No, no need. When Your Highness reports this, please do not mention my name. Just give me some small reward; leave the glory to you, Your Highness."

Seeing Fu Heng frown, seemingly about to grow suspicious again, Chu Li quickly explained, "It is not that I do not seek fame, but Your Highness may not know that when we arcane masters purge evil spirits, we seek merit. Chasing after worldly fame only hinders our cultivation."

Chu Li spun a casual lie. Fu Heng heard this and said nothing more, nodding in agreement.

***

The next morning, Fu Heng summoned Cao Ronghai. The two spoke in the room for a long time before Cao Ronghai emerged with an excited expression, then hurried back to his own quarters.

Chu Li was eating breakfast on the ground floor of the inn with Qiuyi, as they were set to depart Luohe Town that day and continue north. Seeing the magistrate’s behavior, Qiuyi could not help but mutter, "My lady, what is wrong with Magistrate Cao? I remember when he saw the Prince before, his expression was quite grim. But just now, when he came out of the Prince's room, he was smiling so broadly his face was all wrinkled."

Chu Li had seen it too, guessing that Fu Heng must have decided to let Cao Ronghai take the credit. Originally, the magistrate’s attitude toward Fu Heng had been one of fear and wariness, mixed with a bit of disdain and helplessness. He likely viewed Fu Heng as someone sent by the Emperor to monitor him, not an ally, so his defenses were greater than his respect.

If the issues in Luohe Town were truly accounted for, the situation was grave enough that everyone from the provincial government down to the county office would be punished. If Magistrate Cao became the one who resolved the problem, it would be a major accomplishment.

As it turned out, Chu Li’s analysis was correct. Fu Heng had indeed instructed Cao Ronghai to report on the situation in Luohe Town, specifically asking him to downplay Chu Meng’s role while ensuring she received a reward.

Cao Ronghai did not understand why the Prince of You wanted to suppress Master Chu. From the Prince's description—though he didn't specify the details of the previous night—it wasn't hard to guess that Master Chu had been the one to resolve the crisis. By all rights, she deserved the primary credit; if reported properly, she might even have been granted an official position. However, he could only obey the Prince’s orders, and so he had to wrong Master Chu. When the rewards arrived, he would simply ensure the lion's share went to her. As for the Prince asking him to take the credit, he was naturally happy to comply.

A few days later, the report reached the Emperor’s hands. The news of Luohe Town sent shockwaves through the court. The Emperor was furious and ordered a thorough investigation of the province and county involved. Meanwhile, Magistrate Cao was praised for his outstanding contributions to the northern region. His rewards were bountiful, much to his delight.

However, by the time the news returned, Chu Li and her party had long since left Luohe Town and were nearing the borders of Rong City.

That night, as darkness fell, Chu Li quietly went to find Jiao Yan. She had a favor to ask.

Rong City was the hometown of the original Chu Meng. Three years ago, she had been punished and cast out of the Chu family, dying in an accident outside the city, which led to Chu Li’s transmigration. At the time, Chu Li’s soul had been incomplete, and her memories were fragmented when she merged with the body. She hadn't remembered where the original body came from until a year after she had been with Fu Heng, when her memories gradually returned.

Now that "Chu Meng" had been gone for three years, she had to ensure there were no gaps in her history that could be exposed, lest she invite trouble.

"Brother Yan, I have a private request. I would like to ask for your help..."

That night, Jiao Yan, Chu Li, and Qiuyi quietly left their campsite and slipped into Rong City.