The next morning, upon finding that Yu Yunwen had not invited him for breakfast as usual, Wang Chongyang became suspicious of the three generals' attitudes from the previous night. He went to check his room for safety, only to find no one there. While he was worrying, he saw Wu Wanhu emerge from his own room, followed by Fang Di, who pretended nothing was amiss. Fang Di asked, "Brother Wu, have you seen the whereabouts of Aide Yu and Leader Shi?"
"Haven't seen them." Wu Wanhu's attitude reverted to the unpleasantness of their first encounter, and he then sidestepped Wang Chongyang to leave.
Wang Chongyang couldn't help but turn back to observe the actions of the two. He saw Fang Di also turn back and glare, shouting, "Pervert, you're having wicked thoughts about me again!" Wu Wanhu continued, "Your immoral and debauched conduct has spread throughout Jingkou. Every household is keeping a close eye on their young ladies, so don't even think about acting rashly." After a brief exchange, they left. Wang Chongyang was so angered he couldn't speak, and he didn't have the chance to retort to their implication of him being alone with Fang Di.
Wang Chongyang did not wish to stay at the inn any longer. He strolled through the streets for a while, when he suddenly heard a succession of shouts of "Brother Wang." Looking over, Yu Yunwen poked his head out of a carriage and called, "Find me at the camp," before disappearing in a cloud of dust. Wang Chongyang thought that due to the rumors, he wouldn't be welcomed by the Jingkou generals. Since he had already ensured Yu Yunwen arrived safely, why not leave now and head south to find Meng Hanguang? However, considering he couldn't carry the infamy of "pervert" forever, he decided to seek out Shi Weigeng to clarify the matter, and thus headed to the military camp.
Cai Lianshu's subordinate, Fang Qing, was already waiting at the front of the camp. Upon seeing Wang Chongyang, he introduced himself and said, "The troops and ships sent from Caishiji by General Li Xianzhong have just arrived. Aide Yu and General Cai, along with other officers, are inspecting them. I've been assigned to guide Knight Wang around the camp." Wang Chongyang asked, "Did Leader Shi go along as well?" Fang Qing replied, "This, I'm not very clear about."
The tour consisted of soldier barracks, granaries, and weapon repair workshops. Afterward, Fang Qing made an excuse and had a soldier named Ye take over. While heading to the horse feed warehouse, Wang Chongyang thought the man looked familiar and asked, "Do you know a Huai Xi soldier named Ye Wen?"
The soldier, surnamed Ye, nodded and said, "He is indeed my younger brother. I am Ye Tiao. Knight Wang, you come from Caishiji, perhaps my second brother served there?" Wang Chongyang briefly recounted his fight against the Jin with Ye Wen and his companions, which greatly enthralled Ye Tiao. Ye Tiao said, "Thank you for your kindness to my brother! If you don't find it too much trouble, after the tour, please grace my humble abode for a meal to express my gratitude." Wang Chongyang asked, "Do you have a wife and daughters at home?" Ye Tiao, slightly taken aback, replied, "Besides my wife, there are two daughters and two sons at home." Wang Chongyang then asked, "Have you heard any rumors about me?" Seeing the difficulty on Ye Tiao's face, Wang Chongyang realized his suspicions were correct: he had been slandered by the Yangwu Gang. He continued, "It's best not to associate with me, lest you be implicated." Ye Tiao looked ashamed and said, "I would never believe that Knight Wang would engage in such debauchery! My four brothers, inspired by your heroic defense of Chuzhou, resolutely joined the army to serve the country." A surge of sadness welled up in Wang Chongyang's heart. "Thank you for your words. I will repay this kindness in the future! Please report to your superiors that Wang has something to attend to and will be leaving Jingkou immediately." Ye Tiao asked with concern, "Where are you heading, Knight Wang?" Wang Chongyang remained silent, shaking his head, when suddenly he felt a premonition and said, "Jinshan."
After all, leaving without a word was impolite. Wang Chongyang stood in front of the inn for half an hour that evening, but neither Yu Yunwen nor Shi Weigeng returned. He surmised they were still by the river organizing the fleet. Worried that staying longer would cause unnecessary commotion, he turned to leave. Walking towards the city gate, after about a quarter of an hour, he noticed a young lady following him. He suspected the Yangwu Gang was up to their usual tricks of framing him. Fearing she would cause a scene on the street, he quickened his pace and veered into the mountains to shake her off. He deliberately climbed steep cliffs and navigated precipitous ravines. Seeing that the young lady was about fifteen or sixteen years old and although thin, she had good stamina. Her tenacious will especially reminded him of someone, making him slow down to get a better look. He chuckled inwardly: could there really be a young lady in this world so "relentless" in pursuing someone to harass? Seeing the gritted teeth on her face, he knew the taste of being "bitten" by her and decided it was best to avoid her. He then used his light footwork to sprint down the slope, attempting to escape her completely.
In less than the time it takes for half an incense stick to burn, a sudden cry startled him. Wang Chongyang wondered if something had happened. He hurried back, hesitating whether it was a trap set by her. He had to guard against the Yangwu Gang's cunning and deceptive tactics. However, with human life at stake, he dared not slacken. He found no one on the path. He looked over the cliff edge, and after a moment, he heard the sound of falling sand and gravel. He looked down to see her clinging to the rock face, struggling to climb back up.
"Get lost! I don't need a pervert like you to help," she yelled, her face flushed red, as if she had exhausted her last breath.
Wang Chongyang sighed softly. He gathered his inner energy, jumped down, grabbed her sash, and with a push off a protruding rock beside her, leaped back onto the hillside. He placed her on the path and stepped back several paces. The young lady mocked him, "If you're so afraid, why bother saving me?" Wang Chongyang replied, "I am indeed afraid of your schemes, but my reputation can be cleared later, while life is urgent." The young lady still replied dismissively, "Putting on a show, yet looking down on others in your heart." Seeing her demeanor and tone, Wang Chongyang felt a pang and quickly asked, "Why do I look down on you? Where do I look down on you?"
The young lady, full of grievances, accused him, "You deliberately chose the steepest and most difficult paths along the way, and you wore a smug look as if you were proud of yourself. Earlier, you could have just dropped a rope and let me climb back on my own, but you had to show off your skills, as if telling everyone how extraordinary you are. When you put me down, you didn't even offer a basic word of comfort." She tried to stand up, but her ankle was injured, and she slumped back down.
"I apologize for making you suffer so much," he said, shifting his gaze back to the young lady. "Can you let me see your injury?"
Hearing his sincere and warm words, the young lady allowed him to treat her. "If I don't take this opportunity to frame him for 'molesting' me, it will be difficult to explain to Sister Qiu and the others..." As she hesitated, she couldn't bear the pain and cried out, quickly covering her mouth to avoid being discovered.
Wang Chongyang said, "Your bones and muscles have been treated. It will still hurt a bit when you move, but it will be fine later." The young lady said, "Then, you should leave quickly." Wang Chongyang replied, "How can I leave you alone in the wilderness late at night?" The young lady was a little anxious and said, "You old fool, I'm not the only one who followed you."
"How am I old?" Wang Chongyang blurted out, then quickly changed the subject, "If one does not question the goodness or evil in their heart when acting, but blindly follows the will of others, what difference is there between them and a yelping dog or a fly chasing stench?"
"Stop your nonsense," the young lady found a tree trunk and, with great effort, stood up and began to head back the way they came. Wang Chongyang couldn't bear to see her struggle. He followed behind her. The young lady turned her head sharply and said, "If you take one more step following me, I will immediately shout that you are harassing me!" Wang Chongyang said, "The paths ahead are all slopes and cliffs. How can you get back with your injured leg? Do as you please, but I can't just abandon you." The young lady looked at him disdainfully and asked, "Then how do you intend to manage?" Wang Chongyang replied, "Please believe that Wang has no ill intentions. Allow me to carry you back near the inn." Seeing her clear eyes constantly darting between his face, he felt uncomfortable. He stammered, "Li...tle..." The young lady interrupted, "Little what? Aren't you coming to let me ride on you?"
As he carried her, he gradually recalled that night in the forest when he gazed at the joyful and comforting peaks, his mood became buoyant. Furthermore, he worried about delays and feared encountering the Yangwu Gang, so he fully utilized his light footwork to cross ridges and traverse mountains.
At first, the young lady disliked his intentional showing off, but gradually, she felt as if she were soaring on the wind, ascending colorful clouds, and weaving through the stars. She leaned against his broad shoulder, half-intoxicated and half-drowsy, feeling a sense of comfort.
Wang Chongyang saw that they had descended the slope before them, and the street near the inn was in sight.
The young lady wrapped her arms around his neck. At this moment, she opened her eyes and asked, "How old are you?" Wang Chongyang was taken aback and said, "This... it's not important." The young lady said, "I am only fourteen years old." Wang Chongyang responded with an "Mmm."
The young lady said proudly, "Did you not expect me to be so resilient at such a young age? Have you ever encountered an opponent like me?" Seeing that he did not respond, she continued, "What kind of opponent was it?"
Wang Chongyang smiled slightly and said, "Someone who spent eight years vowing to take my head."
The young lady pressed further, "Was it a woman?" Again, no response! Angrily, she pushed him away and jumped onto the road. Seeing his bewildered expression was quite amusing, but she maintained a facade of anger and said, "Get lost! One day, you old pervert, you will surely fall into my hands." Feeling something was amiss, she wanted to get away from him as quickly as possible, but she had to let him know her name. "Remember! My name is Le Fu." Hearing him call out "Young Lady Le," her feet stopped involuntarily.
Wang Chongyang said, "I wish you to recognize the path you should take and then walk it with determination, without being swayed by others."
However, these admonishments, falling upon a maiden's heart, gave rise to a different meaning.