The ornate carriage swayed rhythmically as it traversed the cobblestone roads, its polished wooden frame creaking softly with each gentle bump. Inside, the members of Ambrose's party sat.
Liu Meihua sat with her hands folded neatly in her lap, her posture deceptively relaxed. Yet her eyes betrayed her, darting repeatedly toward the corner where Ambrose and Adelaide were engaged in hushed conversation. The duo's heads were tilted toward each other, their voices low and measured, exchanging information that remained beyond the reach of the others. Adelaide's quill scratched methodically against parchment as Ambrose's finger occasionally pointed to specific details in her ledger.
