The girl he met a long time ago.
At that time, he was curled up on the ground, beaten to the brink of death by a group led by the Duke of Chengguo's heir, thinking that perhaps this was how he would die.
Someone like him, as insignificant as grass and dust—if he died, he died. Who would care? Who would dare intervene?
Didn't they see how quiet the city gates were, as if abandoned? Even the soldiers guarding the gates had hidden away, as if he were a plague, one look too many could mean their death.
In truth, he didn't want to live anymore. Life held no meaning. In his daze, the sound of horse hooves arose, accompanied by a sharp female reprimand, mingled with Zhu Zan's curses, and the city gate turned into a hubbub of noise.
His eyes, swollen into a thin slit, barely managed to glance toward the commotion. The girl on horseback swung the horsewhip in her hands. He couldn't make out her features, yet oddly, he felt her aura vividly.
She was as dazzling and bright as sunlight.
That was the last thing he saw before falling unconscious. When he awakened again, he was lying at home, with a doctor tending to his wounds.
"You've had a stroke of great luck," the gatekeeper who brought him back said, shaking the jade plate in his hand. "Do you know who saved you?"
Though he wasn't well-read, he could recognize the characters on the jade plate: Jiuling.
Jiuling—what a pleasant name.
"That's the youngest daughter of His Highness the Crown Prince, Princess Jiuling—true royalty, a golden branch and jade leaf."
"She's the only one who would dare lay a hand on the Duke of Chengguo's heir."
The gatekeeper rambled, but he didn't reveal much more about Princess Jiuling.
After all, even though the gatekeeper outranked him, in the face of the noble royal family, they were no different—both mere blades of grass. How much could a lowly gatekeeper know about such exalted personages?
Once the gatekeeper left and the doctor took his medicine along, he didn't care much for anything—except for that jade plate. When it was taken away, he couldn't help but fix his gaze longingly on it.
"Can I have it?" He finally couldn't hold back, asking, "So I can thank her in person after I recover."
The gatekeeper spat at him.
"Who do you think you are, wanting to see the princess?" he said, as though reading his thoughts, full of disdain and mockery. "You little bastard, wanting to climb the social ladder? Go piss in the gutter and look at your reflection!"
He really wasn't trying to climb the ladder. He just sincerely wanted to thank her. On the contrary, he knew this gatekeeper was the real one trying to curry favor.
Surely, this gatekeeper would present the jade plate to the princess, seeking reward.
But what could he do? As the gatekeeper mentioned, someone like him—a worthless little bastard—had no power to change his own fate, let alone desire anything more.
He watched with regret as the gatekeeper walked off with the jade plate, wishing he had at least touched it, held it in his hands, if only briefly.
His thoughts were interrupted by the noise around him.
Still at the city gates, but he was no longer the little bastard who could be trampled on by anyone.
What he wanted now was far more than just touching a jade plate.
He glanced at the woman on horseback and raised a hand behind his back with a flick.
"Take her," he commanded coolly.
The bustling crowd at the city gates fell silent for a moment. In broad daylight, with skies so open and bright, Lu Yunqi spat out the command plainly.
Whether it was pent-up rage at letting this woman leave the capital, allowing her to deal with the epidemic, and then having her escape—
Or simply raw emotions spilling over after reuniting—
Whatever the reason was, no matter how absurd the order, Jiang Qianhu didn't hesitate for a second, drawing his waist knife.
"Take her!" he barked.
At his command, more than twenty Jinyiwei emerged from the shadows of the city gates, their embroidered spring knives clanging as they advanced in formation.
The startled onlookers at the gates finally noticed the Jinyiwei, retreating in panic.
The scene descended into chaos. Amidst the disorder, the Jinyiwei still efficiently surrounded Miss Jun.
Their movements were quick, but Chen Qi was no slower; he and the workers from De Sheng Chang stepped in to shield Miss Jun.
A tense standoff unfolded. It all happened in a flash, with Miss Jun still seated on her horse.
The noisy city gate fell into an eerie silence.
"What are you trying to do?" Chen Qi shouted, his gaze landing on Lu Yunqi.
Lu Yunqi remained under the shadow of the city gates, his expression emotionless, fixed only on Miss Jun.
"To seize her," he said indifferently.
"On what grounds? What crime has Miss Jun committed?" Chen Qi demanded angrily.
The surrounding people began whispering, with some daring to voice their doubts.
"Yes, what crime has Miss Jun committed?"
"Miss Jun went out to deal with the epidemic—shouldn't that be a merit?"
The Jinyiwei paid no heed to the voices.
"What crime? Capture her and ask questions later." Lu Yunqi replied.
It was absurd but typical of the Jinyiwei's heavy-handed ways—arrogantly unreasonable.
"How dare you!" Chen Qi roared, his nervousness evident.
No one expected Lu Yunqi to appear. Well, perhaps his appearance wasn't surprising—
But no one expected he'd skip all formalities and immediately move to seize someone.
The worst part was that no one had prepared enough manpower because Miss Jun's whereabouts were previously unknown.
The handful of shop assistants present now were no match for the Jinyiwei.
As for the commoners… Chen Qi's peripheral vision caught their terrified expressions.
There was no hope in relying on them, even though they far outnumbered the Jinyiwei.
Lu Yunqi didn't even bother acknowledging Chen Qi's protest. Jiang Qianhu gestured with a wave of his hand.
"Anyone who obstructs will be executed without mercy," he said coldly.
When the Jinyiwei spoke of killing, they truly meant it—whether rebels or ordinary citizens.
The crowd shrank back in renewed terror. Chen Qi gritted his teeth and stepped forward.
Miss Jun dismounted, stopping him.
She could tell from Lu Yunqi's manic eyes that he was serious—anyone who blocked his way would be killed.
Perhaps something in her expression earlier had provoked him.
Yes, this time when she returned, she no longer masked the demeanor and mindset of Chu Jiuling.
Much like in the past, when her parents were alive and each year she would journey back to the capital.
This capital was her home; she was Princess Jiuling of Great Zhou.
She had not been banished—she had only left temporarily. She could return anytime she wanted, unafraid.
She knew Lu Yunqi would appear. She wasn't even afraid of being captured by him now. She could take this opportunity to try and kill him.
Yes, if she killed Lu Yunqi right now, she might carve out a path to survival.
In broad daylight, under the heavens, killing the oppressor as an act of defiance might even be forgivable.
Miss Jun tightened her grip around the horsewhip and looked at Lu Yunqi.
"You want to take me? Then come," she said.
Lu Yunqi stared at her. The corners of his lips curved slightly as he stepped forward.
"Sir," Jiang Qianhu couldn't help calling out to stop him.
Even he didn't dare underestimate this woman anymore.
Lu Yunqi ignored him, his eyes fixed solely on Miss Jun. Step by step, he advanced, unfazed by the possibility of knives or fire ahead, or by her angry yet ambiguous gaze.
He only wanted this one person. He had to have her. He had to peel back her layers and uncover who she truly was—why the world would have two of her.
The standoff at the city gates grew strangely stagnant—an odd combination of motion and stillness intermingled. The Jinyiwei, the servants, and Miss Jun stood frozen, while Lu Yunqi moved relentlessly forward.
"What are you all gawking at? What's the commotion?"
A clear voice suddenly called out from the side, breaking the tense silence.
At the same time, the sound of something cutting through the air approached.
Lu Yunqi acted as though he hadn't heard, continuing forward without the slightest attempt to avoid it.
"Watch out, sir!"
Lu Yunqi may have lost his mind, but Jiang Qianhu couldn't afford to do the same. He leapt forward, pulling Lu Yunqi back.
A dagger whizzed past Jiang Qianhu's ear, hitting the city gate with a thud, embedding itself deeply.
This wasn't a warning—it was a determined attempt to kill.
Sweat beaded on Jiang Qianhu's forehead.
Then, a gust of wind swept through as someone dashed into the scene, tearing through the Jinyiwei formation like an unstoppable force.
Jiang Qianhu blinked, his vision blurring.
The blur wasn't just due to the newcomer's incredible speed but also because of their peculiar attire.
Towering and broad, the figure wore an oversized, flamboyantly colorful robe, looking utterly ridiculous.
For a second, Jiang Qianhu failed to recognize them. But the crowd quickly erupted with shouts.
"It's the Lord Heir!"
"It's the Duke of Chengguo's heir!"
"The Lord Heir!"
"The Lord Heir!"
The scene surged into chaos, like water splashing into hot oil.
Zhu Zan spread his arms slightly, an air of smugness about him, surveying the scene proudly. But just as his smile began to broaden, someone in the crowd called out once more.
"Where Miss Jun is, the Lord Heir is never far behind!"
Zhu Zan's face immediately darkened.
"Hey, hey!" He pointed into the crowd, glaring as he shouted, "You can joke about clothes, but don't you dare say nonsense!"