Song Qingchao watched the blueprint while idly poking at the waist-high weeds with a piece of wood she’d picked up.
This blueprint was given to her by Bai You'an.
Just as she had guessed, it was the very same one that the Fang family had given to the Shen family in her previous life.
The corner of her mouth curved upwards, and then with a thought, she stored the blueprint in her space.
The instant the blueprint vanished from her hand, Song Qingchao felt a searing pain, as if her heart was being consumed by flames.
She clutched her collar, leaning on the stick, but her body grew progressively colder.
So cold…
She took several deep breaths, then brought the blueprint back out and held it in her hand, as if clutching the last desperate strand of hope.
Since waking up after her collapse, her body had shown no unusual signs.
At first, she thought it was because the longer rest had replenished her qi and blood.
She had been careless.
So that’s why Mu Mu had been finding her hot water – he was afraid she would be cold.
Song Qingchao lowered her gaze, staring at the yellowed blueprint in her hand, feeling her strength gradually return.
This sensation was just like that of the man who had given her an umbrella in the rain that day.
Could it be?
Song Qingchao’s mind began to piece things together. She took a deep breath, flipped her hand palm down, and then let go.
The rolled-up blueprint fell, unfurling on the ground, revealing the “Wangyou” drawn within.
A chill spread from her fingertips, yet Song Qingchao’s lips curved upwards.
She smiled, her eyes crinkling, and suddenly crouched down, pressing her hand onto the blueprint, resembling someone holding a jade seal that commanded the world.
“Truly, it came to me without effort.”
She picked up the blueprint, and then glanced at the hourglass flowing in her space. The ambition in her eyes was unconcealed.
This man was the one who could change her destiny.
As long as she was near that man or wore an item gifted by him, the hourglass would flow, and she would return to normal.
Song Qingchao delicately traced the name “Bai You’an,” then tightened her fingers, crumpling the blueprint.
After calming herself, she didn’t forget the important matters.
She quickly put the blueprint into her robes and took out the Nightingale’s special paper and brush from her space.
She wrote a full page and then stored it back in her space.
The arrival of Bai You’an, the illness of Miss Shen – she felt that there was something suspicious about it all.
While the Nightingales were unmatched in information gathering, they would be greatly hindered without the support and protection of the Grand Princess.
A Zhu…
What should I do with you…
Speaking of which, establishing the Nightingales back then was merely to pass the time in the deep confines of her chambers.
When she was young, to communicate with A Zhu, she had forced her to learn Morse code and English.
When Mu Mu recovered, she would have to force him to learn as well.
The Nightingales needed to expand their ranks and operate properly.
It was clearly a powerful intelligence network, but in her past life, she had truly wasted it.
Song Qingchao touched the spot where the blueprint was kept, then, as swift as a flying bird, she walked forward following the path in her memory.
Now, she had no reservations; getting the medicine for Mu Mu was the top priority.
She sprinted with all her might, never pausing, and finally reached the precipice at midnight the next day.
She had left at the hour of the rat, a total of twelve hours.
Song Qingchao looked up at the moon. Though it was still quite bright, it was better not to take risks.
Only by staying alive could she protect those she wished to protect.
When daylight broke the next day, she would go down to retrieve the medicine, and then rush back. There was still time.
With that thought, Song Qingchao sat herself down on the ground and bit into a meat bun she had taken from her space, her demeanor rough yet elegant.
She took small bites while pulling out a book to read by the moonlight.
Along the way, she encountered many small puddles that had collected water, so she used every container she had in her space that could hold water.
Even if it was dirty, it was still water, better than dying of thirst.
However, as she read, Song Qingchao became dumbfounded.
She recognized every single word here.
But what was plastic?
How could leaves and sunlight create water?
What was glass…
She recognized alum stone, but the manufacturing process…
She felt truly incapable…
This made her feel a bit weary, so she pulled out more books to read, and finally found a feasible method for the current situation in a book titled “Wilderness Survival Guide.”
As for glass and plastic, she would deal with them later.
She acted as she spoke, directly pulling out two bolts of fine silk from her space, and then bringing out silver charcoal.
Looking down at the items in her hand, she frowned for the first time, thinking that her life in the past had been far too extravagant.
Song Qingchao set the items down, picked up a few straight sticks, and used torn cloth strips to fix them into a frame.
Then, sitting on the ground, she took out her needle and thread and began her needlework, sewing the silk into a conical bag with one corner, and then poking several holes in it.
She spread her arms, propping up the bag and fitting it onto the frame, then brought out a large fish tank from her space and placed it beneath the frame.
This tank was the first birthday gift Xie Yan had given her.
He had euphemistically called it “May there be abundance every year.”
She had disliked it immensely back then, but Xie Yan, using the name of the old Marquis, had no choice but to accept it.
Now, she truly had to thank Xie Yan. If this large tank were filled with water, it could certainly drown an ox.
With everything prepared, Song Qingchao picked up the book again and flipped through it.
“Place sand and pebbles inside. If unavailable, gravel can be used. Fine at the bottom, coarse at the top. Pour water and let it settle.”
Song Qingchao’s hand trembled as she held the book.
Stones…
She frowned and glanced at the messy stones on the ground, still stained with the excrement of unknown creatures.
Perhaps she could forgo drinking this water…
“Stones…”
She kept muttering the word, and suddenly remembered that Xie Yan had brought her a large box of colorful stones from the Northwest years ago.
He had even tricked her into believing they were gems, worth a fortune.
Truly, her good Xie Yan!
Song Qingchao immediately took out the box containing the gems and, without hesitation, threw them into the bag.
These stones were clean and beautiful; she could drink the water with peace of mind!
After filling it, she directly put the box back, and took the opportunity to sort and organize the items in her space.
It was then that she realized that in her haste, everything she had stored in her space were her own belongings; she hadn't brought anything belonging to others.
Even so, the value of the items within was considerable.
When Song Qingchao tried pouring the murky water into the bag, and clear water flowed from the bottom,
She nodded with satisfaction. Indeed, books do not lie.
After toiling for an entire night, she had finally purified all the water. She then went to pull at some vines.
Fearing any accidents, she reluctantly made a rope out of silk.
After a brief nap, the sun rose.
Song Qingchao rubbed her dark eyes, wrapped one end of two ropes around her waist and the other around a tree trunk, then simultaneously jumped down the cliff.
Although obtaining Wangyou was difficult, it was fortunate that she had so much prior knowledge, allowing her to avoid all dangers. With her space, it wasn't too hard.
Soon, she spotted the Wangyou blooming in a dark cave.
It was as white as snow, emitting a faint, ethereal fragrance.
Song Qingchao, holding the rope, reached out a hand to grasp it.
So close!
She tried to use her will to pull it into her space, but the Wangyou grass remained in place.
Song Qingchao: ?
Could there be a limit?
Come on!
Fortune favors the bold.
She bit her lip and decided to take a risk. She lowered her head, stepped on a protruding rock with her foot, and prepared to swing over.
But suddenly, a force caused the foot she was using for support to slip.
“Ah!”