Their own clothes were prettily made and they had treated her with respect, suggesting that they were daughters of a good family. With the carefree honesty unique to all Yun Chang people, the matron quickly replied, "Why not? Come in, Miss. How could you walk around the streets like this?"

She opened the door and led them inside.

The matron looked at Zuiju who looked like she had been soaked in soup for hours. She chuckled, "Soybean milk is full of sugar and will be sticky when dry. Miss can take it off and I will wash it."

Pingting also said, "Mother will definitely yell at me for ruining my own clothes when I get back. Please, Matron, give me some water so I may wash may them myself."

"Oh my, don't wash them yourself. You are a guest from the moment you enter. How could we possibly allow our guests to wash their own clothes?"

The matron was very kind-hearted and found two sets of old clothing for them. "Please change into them, Miss. These are my daughter-in-law's, and her figure is about the same as yours. It's not made from fine materials like yours, but at least it's clean."

This was exactly what Pingting wanted. She immediately thanked her and hurriedly changed into them with Zuiju. She then lowered her voice to Zuiju, "Give me a silver coin from your back."

Zuiju replied.

After getting into the clothes, the matron took the clothes that the two had changed out of. "I'll go wash them first, and will be back soon. This material must be very expensive, oh my, very expensive."

The moment the matron's back had disappeared out the door, Pingting hurriedly tug at Zuiju. "Let's go." She put down the silver coin onto the table and was about to go, when she hesitated for a moment. She tore off the blue tablecloth and continued to push Zuiju.

Zuiju hurriedly replied, "Miss, that is the rear side."

"Of course we can't go out the main door. If there really is someone following us, then they're waiting outside now." Pingting had chosen to approach the matron only after seeing the residence was big, meaning there was more chance of ordinary people and if the backyard was big enough, then there should be a small side exit.

"Look!" There was a little bit of glee deep inside Pingting's voice. "There's a door as expected."

The two crept out of the side door, ending up in a quiet back alley. Pingting messed up Zuiju's hair, "Tie two pigtails." She then put down her own hair and managed to tie it up in a very, very ordinary hairstyle. Not long later, it seemed that two had become completely different people. Pingting then unfolded the cloth she had stolen, wrapping up the outside of the bag. "Now they can't identify us by our bags too."

The two exchanged a smile at this before carefully walking out of the alley. Their steps were slow as if two close sisters were shopping around town.

"Can we go out of the city now?" Zuiju whispered.

"No." Pingting's gaze drifted towards a raised plaque in the distance. She grinned, "Off to the hotel." When the opponent noticed that she had escaped, they would definitely go to the city gates first. Since that was the case, why not stay for two days and wait until their pursuers were faraway.

Zuiju understood this, secretly praising Pingting's intelligence. She nodded, "Then let's go."

"You go first." Pingting chuckled while saying. "You go first, I'll follow. Order a separate room each, so we're not related at all. Give me a few more coins from your bag."

Zuiju saw that her spirits had significantly risen, with the energy of a bird freed from its case. She couldn't help smile sweetly as she handed the coins to her, replying, "Understood. So we're not related at all. I will go now, but when will you arrive?"

"Not too close. I will come in the evening."

Zuiju started to worry. "Miss, why don't you go first and let me stay on the streets..."

"Don't argue." Pingting sucked her lip and smiled. "The capital is now a battlefield. I am the main advisor, so don't argue with me, you mere little soldier." She pushed Zuiju by the shoulder, "Go."

Zuiju followed Pingting's commands and asked for a room at the hotel. Although the room was small, it was tidy. Zuiju paced around, studying every nook and cranny and did not find any fault that would make her worry. She relaxed and sat in the room by herself, waiting for Pingting.

The silence was lonely and the best torture to human minds. Since leaving Dong Lin, she had never left Pingting's side. She only had to wait for a while before beginning to worry. Pingting was the primary target, and her body's condition significantly restricted her actions. What if... the silence made her think about all sorts of nasty thoughts as she sat down. Zuiju regretted it. She shouldn't have listened to Pingting and entered the hotel first. Her heart and mind seemed to have several ants crawling in them. The more she thought, the more scared she became. Zuiju stood up, wanting to immediately find Pingting. She burst out of the room but then stepped back.

What if she went and Pingting returned but couldn't find her? After thinking, it seemed this and that couldn't work. She swallowed back her fears and continued to wait.

Time seemed to pass very slowly. Each minute and second was painfully endured, each tearing at Zuiju's being. She finally saw that it was evening, yet Pingting hadn't arrived, causing her to be extremely agitated. She turned in circles around the room.

Damn it, damn it. I shouldn't have listened to Miss Bai.

Night was beginning to fall. The sitting and waiting increased Zuiju's anxiety as the moments continued to pass.

Knock. Knock.

The sound of knocking started to sound. Zuiju jolted back in shock. She clenched her fists but placed a calm expression on her face as she walked towards the door.

"Who are you looking for?"

There was a man carrying luggage at the door. He was tall and thin, most of his face obscured by a large bamboo hat, only revealing a dark-cloured chin.

"Ah..." A soft laugh came from under the huge bamboo hat.

Zuiju's expression changed, hurriedly pulling that person into the room. She carefully closed the door and clenched her teeth. "You scared me to death, Miss! Where did you go? Why did you only come now?" She sighed in relief.

"I've heard about disguising as men before and finally learned it today." Pingting took off the bamboo hat, the black and white of her eyes starkly contrasting to her dark-coloured complexion. They looked like two brightly coloured gems. Something unknown had been placed in her clothes, making her shoulders seem a lot broader but also making her figure seem even thinner. Pingting pulled off her height-increasing shoes and rubbed her small red feet on the bed. "There wasn't enough time, so I only changed my makeup. I am so tired, need a rest." She then fell back onto the bed.

"Didn't you say to order one room each so we wouldn't be related?" Zuiju reminded her. "Be careful not to let others suspect us." She then frowned, before asking, "Why is your voice so hoarse? Got a cold? Would you like some medicine?"

"I changed my voice with herbs. Otherwise how could I speak like a man?" Pingting thought of something funny, and began to chuckle amusedly, "When I got to this hotel, I described you to the bellboy, saying that you were my wife who left home after a fight. He then brought me here."

Zuiju was not satisfied. "Won't people laugh at me tomorrow when we go out?" But she couldn't help laughing out as well. She undid the bag Pingting brought back with her. "What's this? Ah!" She quickly retracted her hand.

"Be careful, it's very sharp." Pingting hurriedly got off the bed and came towards her. "Let me see. Are you hurt badly?

"No, I was luckily quick enough." Zuiju held out her hand to let her see, a new red mark on her finger. "What did you get this for?"

"For self-protection as we travel. It'll be much easier to use after assembling them carefully." Pingting had put in a few knives and daggers as well as several strange objects Zuiju had no idea about. She took them out and placed them on the table. Pingting then said, "There are still a few other parts left. Because the manufacturer was busy, I paid double and will collect them tomorrow morning." She then took out a brush and ink, writing the names of several herbs. She handed it to Zuiju, "Take these to the pharmacy tomorrow and buy them."

Zuiju looked at them, curiously asking, "These herbs don't agree or match with each other and is without central effect, therefore they are never used together. What does Miss need them for? Do you feel uncomfortable?"

"Don't worry, it's not for me."

After being convinced, Zuiju took over the prescription. She carefully warned, "I know that you have good knowledge of medicine, but if it's for yourself, then my prescriptions are still better."