The jade butterfly and flower pendant lay on the ground. Just as Bai Zhi was about to bend down to pick it up, Xiao Shao had already taken a step ahead and picked it up, holding it in his palm. Bai Zhi’s fingers trembled slightly, her tone full of suspicion: “How do you have our young lady’s belonging?”

Xiao Shao also seemed slightly stunned: “Jiang Ruan?”

“This is my young lady’s pendant,” Bai Zhi said. “It’s been missing for many years. How do you have it?”

Xiao Shao turned to look at Ye Feng, who stared at him rigidly.

Zhao Yuanfeng and the others looked at him in confusion. Xiao Shao walked to the cliff edge and, beyond everyone’s expectations, suddenly lifted his robe hem and swept down. His movement was too quick – the others couldn’t stop him in time. Ye Feng only managed to shout: “Master!”

Xueyi Cliff was wreathed in mist and clouds. Only dense forests could be seen in the mountain ravines – serene and distant, yet seemingly containing infinite killing intent.

Ye Feng rushed to the cliff edge, his expression filled with self-reproach. After a moment of shock, Guan Lianghan gradually calmed down, walking over to pat Ye Feng’s shoulder: “Xiao Shao’s lightness skill is outstanding – he wouldn’t act without complete confidence. You return first. Lord Zhao and I will send troops down to search.”

Though he was also shocked by why Xiao Shao had suddenly charged down the cliff, he understood that this fellow disciple was never one to act impulsively – there must be some reason. Hearing him say this, Ye Feng understood that with Xiao Shao’s martial skills, nothing serious should happen. He composed himself and walked back to Guan Lianghan’s side. Passing by Bai Zhi, he couldn’t help but look at her with a complex expression.

When Bai Zhi heard Guan Lianghan say they would go down to search, she breathed a sigh of relief and hurried to check on Lian Qiao, who lay unconscious nearby. She was also puzzled – Prince Jinying had no relation to Jiang Ruan, so why was that pendant on his person? That jade butterfly and orchid pendant was originally Zhao Mei’s favorite pair of earrings, brought from the General’s residence before her marriage, and she had always treasured them. The earrings were exquisitely crafted with rare materials. As Jiang Ruan grew up, Zhao Mei gave her the pair. When Jiang Ruan first received the earrings, she wore them constantly. Later, during some outing, when she returned, only one earring remained. Naturally, a single earring couldn’t be worn, so it was put away. Later, because it was Zhao Mei’s relic, Jiang Ruan locked the remaining one in a jewelry box, cleaning it regularly.

Now the earring in that box was still there, but the other was with Xiao Shao – what sense did this make?

Bai Zhi couldn’t understand it at all.

Also puzzled were Zhao Yuanfeng and Zhao Yi present. In their eyes, Xiao Shao had swept down the cliff for Jiang Ruan’s sake, but knowing Xiao Shao’s character as they did, he was definitely not one to show such tender care for women. If the two had some relationship, judging by the expression of Jiang Ruan’s maid, that didn’t seem to be the case either.

However, puzzled as they were, they still needed to find her. Zhao Yuanfeng waved his hand: “I’ll take Li An and the Red Thunder Army prisoners back to the city. Yi’er, you follow General Guan to investigate Ruan’er’s whereabouts.” After thinking, he added with emphasis: “You must find her.”

Though Jiang Ruan had been close to their Zhao residence for only a short time, the Zhao family truly treated her as the General’s residence young lady. As her uncle, his heart already ached terribly – if Jiang Xinzhi learned of this… Zhao Yuanfeng shook his head, sighing inwardly, fearing another great upheaval would ensue.

…

Deep in the mountain forests, the cliff terrain was extremely high. Snow had accumulated in the middle areas without melting, with half-melted snow and ice reaching half a foot deep. Stepping down felt like needle pricks, bone-chillingly sharp.

Rain continued falling, and as the wind grew colder, the body felt increasingly cold.

Jiang Ruan walked through the cliff valley bottom with unsteady steps, her clothes long since made filthy by mud and snow water, presenting an extremely wretched appearance.

Disregarding the gloomy surroundings, she kept walking until she saw a cave appear in the distance, then finally stopped.

She tightened her clothes and found the cave entrance to walk inside. The cave wasn’t spacious, with dense shrubs concealing the opening, barely able to block some cold wind.

The sky gradually darkened. Jiang Ruan sat down against the cave wall in the depths, gently sighing before rolling up her sleeve to reveal the wound on her shoulder.

Her plain-colored clothes were already soaked through, clinging tightly to her arm. A faint bloody smell could be detected. When she pulled at it, the slight sound of flesh tearing came as the clothing was slowly pulled away, gradually revealing where it had stuck to the wound.

A deep bloody gash with flesh turned outward – clearly an injury from accidentally falling and being cut by sharp shrubs. She had brought wound medicine, but somehow it had been lost during the fall and was now nowhere to be found.

Jiang Ruan let the wound remain exposed to the cold air, her eyes gazing toward the cave entrance in contemplation.

Xueyi Cliff’s Gourd Mouth had treacherous terrain, and watching clouds from the cliff was most romantic, especially on spring mornings when mist hadn’t dispersed but sunlight came first. Standing atop the cliff watching bloody dawn light spread across the sky, with clear wind sounds, rain steaming into mist, and fragrant flowers and grass – it was truly an earthly paradise.

In her previous life, Xuan Li had once brought her here to watch the sunrise.

She had been amazed by the beauty of that moment’s scenery, but Xuan Li had embraced her waist and leaped downward. She cried out in fright, but heard Xuan Li laugh heartily. There were indeed people beyond people, skies beyond skies – even at Xueyi Cliff’s bottom, such scenery existed. Beneath those concealing clouds and mist wasn’t jagged rocks, but rather gentle slopes. Even if one accidentally fell, they would only land on a stone platform not far below.

She had always treasured every moment with Xuan Li, especially after entering the palace, often recalling those beautiful scenes in her mind. She knew Xueyi Cliff’s terrain layout better than anyone.

Therefore, she had leaped into the cliff without hesitation, falling through clouds and mist onto the stone platform, then climbing down step by step following memory’s path.

Officials descending from another route to the cliff bottom couldn’t see the stone platform and would only search the cliff bottom calling her name.

Along the way, she had torn pieces of her skirt hem and tied them to tree branches as markers. As long as the Zhao family’s people saw the markers, they could find her.

She closed her eyes somewhat wearily. Privately maintaining troops and plotting rebellion – this charge was already enough to make the Chancellor’s residence unforgivable. And her various actions might arouse suspicion, so she had to pretend to be forced into the cliff by Li An. This way, Li An’s crimes would include murdering an official’s family member, while she could emerge from this affair completely clean, dispelling suspicion.

However, she had calculated everything except that her body would hold her back at this time, forcing her to find a sheltered place to hide.

She had been weak and sickly since childhood. Being sent to the estate for several years and mistreated by the Zhang and Lan families had worsened her condition. Later, Chen Zhao’s incident of falling into water was like adding frost to snow. In this life, returning to the residence early, with Lian Qiao and Bai Zhi’s care in the Jiang residence, her health seemed much better than before. Who knew that today’s tumultuous journey, combined with this place’s bitter cold wind, would leave her feeling extremely weak. If she waited for rescue in the forest, she feared that before officials arrived, she would faint first and be carried off by wild beasts.

Having no choice but to find this cave, though it could slightly shelter from wind and cold, she still felt waves of chills through her body. Her undergarments were soaked by snow water, and with no other warming materials available, if she truly had to spend the night in these cold, wet clothes, she really didn’t know what the outcome would be.

Jiang Ruan rubbed her forehead, just thinking whether she should go outside to find more stones to block the cave entrance more securely, when she heard light footsteps.

Her expression changed as she quickly sat up, carefully listening to the sounds outside.

The footsteps were light, steady, step by step, slow but firm, yet without calling out or other noise – not officials. Jiang Ruan’s heart sank. With darkness falling in this place where ordinary prey wouldn’t come, who could it be?

Those footsteps headed straight for the cave.

Jiang Ruan’s hand reached into her sleeve – the dagger from when she left was still there. She gripped that cold dagger tightly, staring at the cave entrance concealed by shrubs.

Step, step, step – each step striking her heart.

The footsteps stopped a few paces away. Jiang Ruan sighed in relief.

The next second, the shrubs were struck open with a “poof” by something, and a tall figure appeared at the cave entrance.

The sky was gloomy, evening approaching. In the blurred light, his face clearly reflected in Jiang Ruan’s pupils.

In that instant, the two faced each other – one surprised, one slightly stunned.

Jiang Ruan stared at him intently. Xiao Shao wore black brocade robes, tall and jade-like in bearing. His already outstanding appearance combined with his naturally elegant demeanor from within made even this dark, dirty cave seem to shine with brilliance.

Xiao Shao was also observing the person opposite. The young lady’s clothes clung tightly to her body, her black hair disheveled, a pair of eyes watching him with wariness and surprise. She always appeared gentle and calm, smiling while manipulating others with applause – this was the first time seeing her so bedraggled.

After brief consideration, he strode inside.

“Prince Xiao,” Jiang Ruan finally recovered, looking at him: “Why have you come to this place?”

“Night has fallen, traveling this route has many improprieties. Your body is extremely weak and you cannot move about. It’s best to remain here and wait for officials to come,” Xiao Shao said indifferently.

Jiang Ruan heard the meaning in his words and smiled: “Prince Xiao intends to save me?” She remained suspicious – Xiao Shao was unfathomable, his thoughts impossible to guess. Last time he had helped Jiang Susu, now he was helping her repeatedly – what exactly did he mean? She couldn’t see clearly anymore.

Xiao Shao turned to look at her, a pair of beautiful eyes like night sky scattered with diamonds, naturally brilliant with starlight: “Kill ten thousand enemies, lose three thousand of your own – this is your method?”

Seeing her methods against the Chancellor’s residence – silent and steady, step by step pressing closer, luring the snake from its hole, finally striking it down completely, ensuring the Chancellor’s residence could never recover. Such ruthless methods, such meticulous thinking – at such a young age, among all he had ever seen, absolutely unique. And now it seemed even leaping into the cliff was within her calculations. Such planning – being off by even a fraction would mean death. Her methods were ruthless enough, but she was also ruthless with herself. Her courage was great enough, but this was truly audacious beyond heaven.

“Wrong – kill one hundred thousand enemies, lose three thousand of your own,” Jiang Ruan corrected his statement. Thinking of the Chancellor’s residence’s current desperate situation, a flash of satisfaction crossed her heart, but she knew this was still far from enough. The pain Li Dong had inflicted on her, inflicted on Pei’er, must be returned in full.

Xiao Shao looked thoughtful: “What deep hatred does the Chancellor’s residence have with you?”

Originally thinking she was Xuan Li’s person, later seeing her actions repeatedly make Xuan Li suffer embarrassing defeats, he knew otherwise. The reservoir incident’s spearhead pointed directly at the Chancellor’s residence. To make the entire Chancellor’s residence pay with their lives, there must be deep hatred, yet the Embroidered Guards he sent out couldn’t discover what grievances existed between Jiang Ruan and the Chancellor’s residence. Even when Li Yang and his father first visited the Jiang residence, that was Jiang Ruan’s first meeting with the Chancellor’s residence – why strike so ruthlessly from the first encounter? Could it truly be so simple?

Jiang Ruan smiled slightly: “No comment.” Regarding Xiao Shao, she truly found it difficult to feel at ease, but just after saying this, she suddenly coughed, her body feeling strangely cold, her mind experiencing dizziness.

Xiao Shao stood up. Before Jiang Ruan could see clearly what he intended to do, she felt her body grow warm as Xiao Shao’s black gold rain silk brocade cloak floated lightly onto her.

This cloak was clearly extremely warm yet weightless, quite convenient. Having just been removed from Xiao Shao’s body, it still carried his warmth. Jiang Ruan was stunned as Xiao Shao walked outside.

Jiang Ruan wrapped herself in his cloak – like charcoal in snow, her previously ice-block body finally gained some warmth. After a moment, Xiao Shao returned, somehow having gathered dry firewood. In this mountain cliff with continuous rain and unmelted snow, finding firewood that hadn’t been soaked was harder than ascending to heaven. Xiao Shao had frost and snow covering his head and body. He placed the dry wood on the ground and lit it with a fire starter. The firewood crackled as it burned, immediately bringing light to the dark cave, warm and cozy, creating a heartwarming illusion.

Xiao Shao said: “Sit closer and dry your clothes, otherwise cold qi will enter your bones and leave lasting ailments.”

Jiang Ruan didn’t decline, walking forward wrapped in the cloak to sit by the fire. Indeed, once near the fire, her body felt much more comfortable. She couldn’t help bringing her hands closer to warm them by the fire.

Unexpectedly, Xiao Shao suddenly reached out and grasped her wrist. Jiang Ruan was startled, and before she could react, Xiao Shao had quickly taken her pulse, frowned, released her hand, and stared at her thoughtfully.

Seeing his expression, Jiang Ruan felt puzzled: “Does Prince Xiao have something to say?”

Xiao Shao shook his head, his gaze falling on her shoulder. Jiang Ruan’s shoulder was injured, and though she endured it while moving, there was still something unusual. Xiao Shao’s attention was remarkable – he noticed the abnormality at a glance. After thinking, he took a small azure porcelain bottle from his chest and tossed it into Jiang Ruan’s lap. Jiang Ruan caught it, paused, pulled out the cork, and a cool fragrance wafted out. Xiao Shao’s voice was clear and cold: “Wound medicine – won’t leave scars.”

Jiang Ruan smiled slightly: “Thank you.” But her suspicion grew deeper. Xiao Shao’s assistance seemed increasingly strange – this person acted coldly, why was he being so considerate? Moreover, he actually knew medical arts? Xiao Shao was mysterious and unpredictable. Even Xuan Li, who wanted to win him over in the previous life, couldn’t clearly understand Xiao Shao’s background, let alone know he possessed medical skills.

Seeing Jiang Ruan accept the medicine, Xiao Shao didn’t linger, rising and leaving the cave – apparently to avoid impropriety while she applied medicine. Jiang Ruan quickly sprinkled the azure bottle’s medicine on her wound and roughly bandaged it. She didn’t know what miraculous medicine it was, but the effect was remarkably good – the wound no longer hurt and felt coolly comfortable.

Jiang Ruan felt relieved.

After a while, Xiao Shao walked back in, carrying newly found firewood and a skinned wild rabbit. Throwing the firewood on the ground, he selected two tree branches, tore the rabbit meat properly, and placed it over the fire to roast.

Jiang Ruan stared at his movements in a daze.

Xiao Shao roasted very seriously. His appearance was already extremely fine, and at this moment by the fire, with flames reflecting on his profile, he seemed beautiful beyond compare yet extraordinarily heroic. His eyes were like black dots, his brows like ink paintings, thin lips tightly pressed – even now roasting rabbit like a wandering rogue, his manner flowed like clouds and water in elegant grace. The black brocade robes outlined his tall, straight figure. Already cold to the bone, the firelight softened his features somewhat, showing just the right amount of gentle warmth.

This young man truly possessed peerless beauty and unmatched grace.

He handed the roasted rabbit meat to Jiang Ruan. Seeing Jiang Ruan looking at him strangely, he raised an eyebrow: “What?”

Jiang Ruan came to her senses, staring at the perfectly roasted rabbit meat emitting rich fragrance. The rabbit meat was an appetizing golden color. Having been extremely tired today and already famished, seeing this delicacy, she wasn’t polite, accepting it and temporarily forgetting her wariness of Xiao Shao, smiling: “Prince Xiao’s culinary skills are quite excellent.”

Xiao Shao roasted his own portion, his long lashes lowered, concealing the emotions in his eyes, saying nothing more.

Jiang Ruan bit into the rabbit meat: “Prince Xiao, born with golden spoon, can even do such trivial matters – quite unexpected.”

Noble children born with golden spoons not only knew medical arts but could do these things too. Jiang Ruan couldn’t help thinking of rumors about Xiao Shao from her previous life – after the old Prince Jinying died when he was ten, he took over the Embroidered Guards. Initially everyone waited to see him make a fool of himself, thinking the wet-behind-the-ears youth would only invite ridicule. Who knew that after taking office, his methods were iron-blooded, quickly establishing absolute authority among the Embroidered Guards. Three hundred thousand Embroidered Guards bowed in submission to this young master. People always saw glory but not the suffering behind it – for Xiao Shao to achieve such accomplishments, he must have endured considerable hardships. Such a resilient person was even more formidable.

She turned to look at the young man by the fire – only in his early twenties, yet the calmness about him easily made people forget his age. That was composure settled by years, with restrained dominance and pride in his bones. Naturally graceful in brocade robes at night, even this gloomy, frosty place seemed to gain some sense of security because of this person’s presence.

However, he remained indistinguishable as friend or foe.

Xiao Shao saved her – could it be because of the Chancellor’s residence?

In her previous life, Xiao Shao later stood with the Crown Prince. Xuan Li and he were incompatible. Her dealing with the Chancellor’s residence was equivalent to being Xiao Shao’s friend – was that it?

Jiang Ruan spoke softly, asking the question she had always wanted to ask: “Prince Xiao, why save me?”

…

In the Jiang residence, chaos currently reigned.

Four identical carriages had fled in four different directions. Except for Jiang Ruan’s carriage, the other three had eventually crashed into stone walls or large trees, with the occupants rolling down mountain paths.

People sent by Guan Lianghan went to rescue them. Jiang Li and Jiang Dan were more or less injured, but whether intentionally or not, Jiang Susu was found last, and her injuries were the most severe.

Hudie and Qingting both scraped their foreheads, but Jiang Susu’s carriage had overturned on a steep, long slope. When the carriage flipped, Jiang Susu fell out, landing precisely in a thorn thicket. The thorns were full of barbs – her thick clothing prevented serious bodily harm, but her face, the face beneath the veil where only a shallow scar had healed, was punctured by thorns into countless holes. When guards found Jiang Susu, she was already covered in blood, her appearance terrifying, hoarsely shouting for help, looking like a ghost.

Guan Lianghan ordered the injured Jiang family misses to be sent back to the Jiang residence.

Xia Yan was waiting anxiously when suddenly a servant reported that officials had sent carriages back. Her heart immediately sank.

How could it be so fast? Even for officials to reach Xueyi Cliff would take half a day. How could it be so fast?

What made her heart pound was obviously far more than this. The servant said: “Second Miss is also injured.”

Xia Yan immediately stood up. Upon seeing Jiang Susu’s unconscious state, her heart churned again, nearly fainting.

How could Jiang Susu have suffered such severe injuries? Especially to her face – in the future, who would dare marry a disfigured woman as the main wife?

She grabbed a soldier: “Officer, what exactly happened?”

The soldier, seeing she was the Jiang residence’s mistress, was quite gentle in attitude: “Chancellor’s residence Li An privately maintained troops and plotted rebellion, has been captured. Several young ladies were injured – the General ordered us to escort them back.”

Already captured? Xia Yan’s face turned pale. Li An had failed? Such elite troops had actually failed? However, she suddenly became panicked – if Li An was truly captured, would he implicate her? The crime of colluding with court criminals made her tremble just thinking about it.

She asked carefully: “How could there suddenly be rebellion?”

The soldier, seeing she didn’t care about the injured misses in the residence but instead concerned herself with these irrelevant matters, looked at her somewhat suspiciously. Seeing this, Xia Yan immediately said: “What does this villain’s rebellion have to do with our misses? Yet it caused our misses such grievances – I wish I could flay his skin and send him to prison.”

The soldier didn’t suspect otherwise: “He’s already been escorted back to the capital. The other misses in the residence should be fine, but the eldest miss…”

Xia Yan’s heart jumped, only then noticing Jiang Ruan hadn’t returned. Forcibly suppressing her inner joy, her face showed extreme anxiety: “Officer, what do you mean? What happened to Ruan’er?”

The soldier looked at her apologetically: “The residence’s eldest miss was forced into danger by Li An and jumped off the cliff herself. The General has already sent people to search – Madam shouldn’t worry too much.”

Xia Yan’s heart cleared away the gloom of Jiang Susu’s facial disfigurement, feeling she could hardly contain her laughter. Jiang Ruan was dead! Jiang Ruan was dead! Jumping from a cliff, how could there be life? Her corpse was probably eaten by wolves without even bones remaining.

Her facial expression changed as tears suddenly flowed, as if suffering tremendous shock, murmuring: “My Ruan’er…”

“Madam needn’t worry. If you must worry, concern yourself with the residence’s second young master.”

“Chao’er?” Xia Yan’s laughter stuck in her throat, an ominous premonition crossing her heart: “What about Chao’er?”

“That rebel group pursued the residence’s four misses but didn’t touch the second young master at all. When the General found the second young master, he was still leisurely drinking tea in his carriage. The General suspects he colluded with the rebels and has imprisoned him together with Li An.”

Xia Yan couldn’t quite process this: “What? How could Chao’er be a rebel? You must be mistaken – Chao’er is innocent.”

The soldier bowed to her: “How matters truly stand must await interrogation.” About to turn and leave, he suddenly remembered something and turned back: “Though the residence’s eldest miss fell to the cliff bottom, Prince Jinying has personally gone down to rescue her and should return safely. Madam can rest assured.” Only then did he leave without looking back.

Xia Yan stood in place, stunned for a moment, then suddenly her vision darkened and she fainted.