Light and shadows flickered in the cave. Even the crude environment appeared charming because of the firelight.

Shrubs were tightly blocked at the cave entrance, preventing cold wind from entering. Jiang Ruan leaned against the stone wall by the fire, somewhat wearily closing her eyes.

In such a tense situation, alone with a man, she felt at ease that Xiao Shao wouldn’t do anything to her. In her previous life, this person’s coldness toward women was famously known. Xuan Li had repeatedly tried to send beauties to him, only to return empty-handed each time. Moreover, she was only eleven years old now and in such a wretched state – if Xiao Shao truly had any designs, that would be truly blind.

Having used Xiao Shao’s medicine and eaten food, her body gradually warmed up. After rushing about all day, she was truly too exhausted and finally couldn’t help drowsily falling asleep.

Before falling asleep, she wondered – how had Xiao Shao answered her earlier question?

He had said: “I owe you a life.”

What did those words mean?

Jiang Ruan fell into deep sleep. After a while, the young man who had been staring at the fire in contemplation turned his face to gaze at Jiang Ruan thoughtfully.

The young lady had shed her usual sharp confrontational edge and hostility, leaving only her gentle, beautiful appearance. She was naturally born with bright, vivid features, and under the firelight’s reflection, there was even a hint of charm. Given time, she would surely become a stunningly beautiful woman.

However, Xiao Shao’s heartstrings remained unmoved by the beautiful scene before him. He merely lowered his head and took out an object from his sleeve – precisely that jade butterfly and orchid pendant.

He slightly lowered his eyes, his slender fingertips caressing the pendant, gradually revealing inscrutable emotions in his gaze.

Time seemed to rewind to five years ago.

Five years ago, he had already been leading the Embroidered Guards for five years. Just having left his master’s tutelage, he accepted a mission against a fierce commander in the Southern Border. This commander wasn’t particularly formidable himself, but he had a wizard with strange methods by his side. To establish authority in the Embroidered Guards and maintain the mission’s secrecy, he ventured alone into the Southern Border.

After seven days and nights of maneuvering, he killed both the commander and wizard, but the wizard used his familiarity with the Southern Border terrain to inflict him with a curse.

The Southern Border people wouldn’t help him break the curse. The fifteen-year-old youth rode back to the capital, facing nine deaths for every survival along the way. Countless people in the capital waited to take his life, and the Southern Border people had spread news of his severe injuries, filling the capital’s shadows with killing intent.

However, no matter how skilled his martial arts, he couldn’t defend against the curse’s fierce assault. Extremely weakened, suffering ambushes throughout his return journey, covered in wounds, he sustained the most severe injury since birth.

With ambushes ahead and pursuers behind, in desperation he hid in a meditation room at Baoguang Temple.

But someone was already in that meditation room.

Under moonlight, a child of only five or six years stared at him in shock. Xiao Shao frowned, his dagger flashing with cold light.

However, that child clumsily rushed over, exclaiming in surprise: “You’re injured?”

He bore countless severe wounds, his black clothes already soaked through. Though it couldn’t be seen, everything reeked of blood.

In his moment of confusion, the child had already knelt beside him, taking out a small porcelain bottle from her chest: “This is wound medicine. Are you alright?”

The medicine was merely ordinary wound medicine. The child carefully pushed aside his clothing. He had been wary initially, but seeing her clumsy movements, he actually found it amusing. Such a small girl – he didn’t know which family’s maid she was.

He indeed thought she was a maid, since this little girl was dressed as a servant and spoke with simple liveliness. When moonlight streamed over, it illuminated her face clearly – jade-like and pearl-round, with compelling spiritual energy, a pair of large eyes that were lively and clear, naturally beautiful.

Though a maid, she didn’t look like one.

He felt slightly puzzled.

The child persistently applied medicine to his wounds. He was extremely weak, unable to move, thinking he would surely die tonight. Even if he escaped assassination, he might not endure until the curse took effect. Death either way, so he let the child do as she pleased.

Seeing his breathing gradually weaken, tears appeared in the child’s eyes. She suddenly stood up and ran outside.

He thought the child must have gone to call for help, but he truly lacked strength to prevent it, and was too lazy to try. He leaned against the wall inside, waiting for life’s final moment.

Moonlight waned. The youth’s appearance was peerless, yet his expression remained cold and clear. Having walked through knife points and seas of fire to reach this height, each step climbed higher and more steadily, yet growing ever more lonely. He didn’t know the meaning of living, nor what he lived for.

But soon the child returned.

She held food and clean water in her hands, her face still bearing some dirt marks. Timidly pushing the items toward him: “Eat. You’ll have strength after eating.”

Xiao Shao understood medical arts. Looking at the traces on the little girl’s face, he knew she had been beaten and injured. How could anyone beat such a lively, beautiful little girl so harshly? He frowned, looking at the food on the ground, then understood. This little maid must have been caught stealing food for him, resulting in those wounds.

His heart stirred slightly. The child looked at him hopefully. Seeing him motionless, she diligently lifted the bowl to his lips. He was indeed thirsty, so he lowered his head to drink. Though the child moved with difficulty, she seemed quite skilled, apparently often serving others tea in daily life.

“Don’t die,” the child looked at him and said. “I won’t tell anyone you’re here.”

Xiao Shao said nothing.

The child began feeding him steamed bread.

She slowly began talking – nothing more than how in a few days when the weather improved, pear blossoms would bloom on West Mountain, peach blossoms on East Mountain too, wanting to see flowers and grass with father and mother, wanting new clothes and shoes made, the neighbor girl raised a small hunting dog and she wanted one too, her brother’s recent essays had earned father’s praise and he would surely become a top scholar someday.

Chattering endlessly, desperately trying to say interesting things to keep him happy and prevent him from falling unconscious. Her intentions were so naive that Xiao Shao naturally understood, though he wasn’t particularly interested. Still, given her kind heart, he listened as if to amusing stories.

He felt this child must have a happy, complete family to be born so kind and warm. Even the matters she spoke of were full of interest.

That night, unexpectedly, the curse didn’t manifest. The simple medicine and food gradually restored his strength. In the meditation room behind Baoguang Temple, with a night full of moonlight and spring breezes, the youth and child – one sitting quietly, one chattering – created a surprisingly harmonious scene.

She talked the entire night. When temple bells rang the next morning and someone outside softly called: “Miss, Miss.”

The child jumped up suddenly: “My maid has come to find me. When your wounds heal, leave quickly. Be careful not to be discovered.”

So she wasn’t a maid after all.

Xiao Shao said quietly: “Thank you.”

The child had already walked to the door, but hearing his words, suddenly turned back to look at him with a smile: “No need to thank me. Today I saved your life – if someday I’m also in danger and you happen to pass by, just save my life in return.”

That day, he ultimately didn’t die. After gradually recovering at Baoguang Temple, he signaled the Embroidered Guards. Upon returning to the city, he dealt with those who had tried to assassinate him with unstoppable momentum and swift efficiency, firmly establishing himself as master of the three hundred thousand Embroidered Guards. For a time, blood was secretly spilled and people cleared throughout the capital.

From then on, everyone in court feared him, earning the name “rebellious minister and traitor.”

He didn’t know who that night’s child at Baoguang Temple was, only picking up the earring she had dropped. The Xiao family repaid favors – he sent Ye Feng to investigate. Ye Feng discovered that the Jiang family’s young lady had gone to offer incense that day, precisely the Jiang family’s second miss.

Therefore, at Linglong Boat, when Jiang Susu fell into desperate straits, remembering the promise “if someday I’m also in danger and you happen to pass by, just save my life in return,” he helped her once.

Having lived a life of licking blood from knife edges since youth, enduring what ordinary people couldn’t endure, experiencing what ordinary people couldn’t experience, Xiao Shao’s intuition was remarkably accurate. After saving Jiang Susu, he already felt something was wrong.

Jiang Susu had an excellent reputation in the capital, known as a fairy, kind and innocent, talented in both arts and literature – truly the Jiang family’s treasured daughter. This matched well with that night’s kind-hearted child.

But he could see through this woman’s hypocrisy and artifice at a glance, making it difficult to connect the two.

Then Jiang Ruan appeared.

Jiang Ruan’s eyes resembled those of the child, yet didn’t. Jiang Ruan’s eyes carried too much killing intent and hostility. Her ruthless methods and masterful use of others to kill were completely different from that night’s child.

Moreover, Jin Yi and Jin Er’s investigations revealed that Jiang Ruan had been neglected in the Jiang residence since childhood – Jiang Quan didn’t favor her, her mother died early, her brother was frustrated and unsuccessful. Where was the happiness the child had described?

Intuition and reality were completely contradictory.

Now the truth was revealed, everything suddenly clear – Jiang Susu truly wasn’t that night’s child.

Since Jiang Ruan was the person from Baoguang Temple that night, why had she changed from her previous innocent, kind nature to become so aggressive? Could five years of exploitation at the estate and difficulties from her birth father and stepmother change someone’s entire character? Even if her character changed, how could a young girl employ such methods?

There was also her mystery – Hui Jue’s prophecies came from her, she could predict the capital’s floods in advance. Who exactly was she? Xiao Shao placed the pendant back in his sleeve, his eyes like brilliant starfire in the night, pressing his lips together.

With this pendant as proof, he owed Jiang Ruan a life and would repay it in the future.

“Thank you,” he said quietly.

…

Jiang Ruan had a dream.

This dream was from too long ago, she wasn’t entirely clear about it – vaguely from five years past.

Five years ago, Zhao Mei lay gravely ill in bed. Doctors who came to see her all said nothing could be done, just prepare for funeral arrangements. She watched Zhao Mei lying emaciated on the bed, overcome with grief.

It happened to be the annual day for offering incense at Baoguang Temple. Baoguang Temple’s first incense stick was most effective. She wanted to go offer incense, but Jiang Quan said that with Zhao Mei seriously ill, as her birth daughter, she should remain in the residence to attend the sick.

At that time, her heart was filled with indignant resentment, yet she dared not openly contradict Jiang Quan. So she decided to secretly follow Xia Yan and her daughter’s carriage, disguised as a Jiang residence maid, sneak along, then beg the abbot at Baoguang Temple to let her offer the first incense stick to pray for Zhao Mei’s recovery.

So she had Lian Qiao accompany her, and asked Bai Zhi to impersonate her in the residence. She changed into maid’s clothing and successfully mixed in with the group of Jiang residence maids and servants, going to Baoguang Temple together.

For her, this was the boldest thing she had ever done. After successfully blending into the crowd, she was quite pleased with herself for a while. However, she didn’t know that such easy infiltration was only because Xia Yan already knew she was among them and deliberately allowed it.

Then she hid in a meditation room when no one was looking, wanting to find an opportunity to slip away.

Having snuck in, she couldn’t eat vegetarian meals with the maids and servants, lest she be discovered. She had to secretly steal food from the temple kitchen, but was discovered and sent to the head servant woman from the Jiang residence, who was told to “properly discipline” her.

That servant woman indeed gave her a harsh “lesson.” She was beaten black and blue but dared not make a sound, fearing discovery of her identity as the Jiang family’s eldest miss. At that time, she was covered in wounds yet barely obtained some food.

But it didn’t end there. The next day, she failed to offer the first incense stick. Even a great temple like Baoguang actually looked at donation amounts. Xia Yan donated considerably, so she got to offer the first incense.

Presumably, her wish at that time was nothing more than for Zhao Mei and Jiang Ruan to die horrible deaths. In the previous life, that incense stick was indeed effective.

On the return journey, Xia Yan “accidentally” discovered her among the group. After returning home in panic, the matter became known to everyone. When Jiang Quan learned that Bai Zhi had impersonated her in the residence, he flew into a rage, making both Bai Zhi and her kneel in the main hall for family punishment, with all servants present as witnesses.

Shame, humiliation, anger, grievance – all those emotions ultimately became useless tears. Jiang Xinzhi confronted Jiang Quan over her, and in Jiang Quan’s fury was punished to kneel in the ancestral hall for three days. Hearing of this, Zhao Mei’s condition worsened, becoming even more critically ill.

The matter caused such a stir that Xia Yan and Jiang Susu came to plead for her.

Now thinking back, she truly wished she could flay the skin off these two mother and daughter.

From then on, she was confined to quarters, and people in the capital only knew of Second Miss Jiang, not knowing who the Jiang family’s eldest miss was.

Baoguang Temple became her nightmare from then on. In this life, Xia Yan still wanted to scheme against her at Baoguang Temple – she’d see if she agreed. If Baoguang Temple was her execution ground in the previous life, this life it would be her killing ground. The Chancellor’s residence was just the beginning.

At the dream’s end, there seemed to be moonlight, as if in the gentle night there was a pair of eyes like cold stars, brilliantly sparkling, quietly watching her.

Who was that?

It seemed like in her memory of stealing food, the food wasn’t actually eaten by her in the end. In that meditation room, something special seemed to have happened.

Time was like old, light silk covering precious treasures, quietly covering memories. If one day spring wind happened to pass, lifting a corner of the silk, memories would be fresh as new, still emanating faint luster.

In her ears seemed to echo a faint, cold phrase: “Thank you.”

Who was it?

…

Sunlight gradually penetrated through dense shrubs into the cave. The cave took on mottled green hues from these scattered rays.

Long-missed warm sun shone on verdant mountain forests. In the empty mountains and high valleys, clear bird songs chirped. Suddenly wings fluttered as they flew away, tail tips touching the calm green lake, creating gentle ripples.

The rain had stopped.

Jiang Ruan slowly opened her eyes. Upon opening them, she saw long-missed sunlight entering the cave. Having slept peacefully all night, her spirits were surprisingly good. She tilted her head slightly, then suddenly her body stiffened.

The place her body leaned against was warm, her arms tightly embracing an unfamiliar waist, cold, hard black brocade fabric. Looking up, she met a pair of beautiful, lowered eyes.

Jiang Ruan suddenly withdrew her hands. She had actually been holding Xiao Shao – no, embracing Xiao Shao’s waist all night?

Looking at the position, she seemed to have enthusiastically and actively embraced him.

Jiang Ruan drew in a sharp breath.

Xiao Shao seemed completely unaware. Seeing her awake, he stood up: “I made markers outside. When they see them, they’ll arrive quickly.”

Jiang Ruan’s clothes had dried, so she removed the black gold cloak covering her and returned it to Xiao Shao: “Thank you, Prince Xiao.”

Xiao Shao seemed to think of something, turning to tell Jiang Ruan: “Your body is extremely weak with cold symptoms. In the residence, pay attention to tea and food.”

He stopped there, but Jiang Ruan understood – someone was poisoning her?

Xiao Shao saw her question and said: “The cold symptom is from birth, continuously worsening for many years.”

Jiang Ruan lowered her head. So there was such a thing?

In the previous life, had Jiang Quan and Xuan Li already known this, which was why they unhesitatingly let her replace Jiang Susu in entering the palace, preserving the healthy, perfect Jiang daughter to become the new emperor’s empress?

No, that wasn’t it. Even without this cold symptom, Jiang Quan wouldn’t have kept her. Xuan Li and Jiang Quan’s choice – from the beginning, she was the sacrifice.

However, Xiao Shao saying this still helped her greatly.

His helping her so much made Jiang Ruan recall Xiao Shao’s words from last night – he owed her a life?

Wanting to ask clearly, she suddenly heard horse hooves approaching from ahead. Xiao Shao swept away the shrubs at the cave entrance, and indeed heard a delighted voice: “Your Highness!”

Jiang Ruan followed him outside. Brilliant sunlight filled the area, and a team of soldiers in the forest, seeing them, rushed over.

Leading them was unmistakably Guan Lianghan and Jiang Xinzhi.

“A Ruan!”

“Third Brother!”

Having searched all night without success, Guan Lianghan and Jiang Xinzhi were extremely anxious, especially Jiang Xinzhi, who wished he could overturn the entire mountain. His hands had been shaking throughout, so seeing Jiang Ruan safe and sound, he breathed a long sigh of relief, calling her name as he rode over.

The soldiers followed. Before the cave, the black-clothed youth and plain-clothed young lady bathed in sunlight created a pleasing sight from afar. But when Jiang Xinzhi approached, his expression became complex.

Jiang Ruan’s hair was disheveled, her clothes somewhat untidy, holding a man’s black gold rain silk cloak in her hands. Having just awakened, her face still carried some flush, like the most beautiful clouds on the morning horizon, quite charming.

Xiao Shao’s expression remained cold and clear, but something he thought of just then made his gaze slightly gentle. This scene in everyone’s eyes immediately sparked different thoughts. Both possessed rarely seen beauty in this world. Even in disarray, their grace remained unmistakable. Combined with their current subtle movements, people couldn’t help thinking of one phrase.

Truly… remarkably harmonious.