Night fell, but the city gates remained shut tight. Even the Government Official who had previously poked his head out to offer a brief explanation was nowhere to be seen.
Ancient Wen Heng got Jin Qianqian settled, then used the cover of darkness to slip out and scout the area.
When he returned, Jin Qianqian saw his dejected expression and immediately guessed what the others had decided.
"So, what now? Do we stick with them, or go our separate ways?"
Ancient Wen Heng gritted his teeth. "There are still a few days. I'll do my best to convince them."
At the same time, he prepared for the worst. 'If it really comes to it,' he thought, 'I'll just give the silver note from the mirror exchange to Li Cuicui.'
But the silver note had come from Jin Qianqian, after all. He needed her approval first, which put him in an awkward position. "If they don't come with us, I'd like to leave the old folks with something to fall back on. What do you think?"
