Having gained her mother-in-law’s permission, Wang Shi began preparing for the trip to Cloud Mist Mountain. The clothes for mother and daughter to wear when going out had long been prepared. What was lacking was a flawless pretext for encountering noble young masters.

Wang Shi came to discuss with her mother-in-law again: “Mother, when we go out tomorrow, I plan to bring Huizhu and Linlin along. Three sisters appreciating spring together is perfectly natural—no one would make wild speculations upon seeing us.”

If she had only brought one daughter, her intentions would seem too obvious.

Shou’an Jun was both angry and amused. This daughter-in-law—call her foolish, she had some cunning, but it was a case of being too clever for her good.

“Even if you try your best to conceal taking Huizhen to fish for a golden son-in-law, your eyes and behavior will expose your thoughts. Any perceptive person can see through it. I’m not stopping you because I know I can’t persuade you, mother and daughter, but Huizhu and Linlin are sensible and reasonable—they know what’s good and what’s bad. If you want to embarrass yourself, go embarrass yourself alone. Don’t think of dragging them into it.”

Shou’an Jun never spoke politely to those who wouldn’t listen to advice.

Wang Shi was thoroughly scolded by her mother-in-law and no longer dared to scheme involving Zhou Huizhu and Huo Lin. As for Wei Rao, who looked like a little enchantress and outshone Zhou Huizhen everywhere, Wang Shi would never invite her to come along.

The next day was clear and sunny. Wang Shi had secretly observed the convoys entering Cloud Mist Mountain and spotted several outstanding young gentlemen, so she set off triumphantly with Zhou Huizhen, who was dressed like a celestial maiden.

Shou’an Jun sent Nanny Liu to accompany them.

She feared the mother and daughter would do something too outrageous and make complete fools of themselves!

For the next several days, Wang Shi and her daughter went into the mountains daily.

Wei Rao had no interest in seeking golden son-in-laws, but Cloud Mist Mountain in March and April was indeed scenically beautiful and a good place for spring outings.

Wei Rao went into the mountains to play every year and was already very familiar with Cloud Mist Mountain. She knew which places were crowded with tourists and which places, though not famous or well-known, had their own pure mountain wilderness charm.

“Grandmother, are you not coming with us?”

This day, after Wang Shi and her daughter departed, Wei Rao changed into men’s clothing and came with Zhou Huizhu and Huo Lin to bid farewell to Shou’an Jun.

Shou’an Jun smiled: “I’d like to go, but unfortunately, I’m old. I have to accept that I’m not young anymore. You all choose rugged small paths and move freely like little deer, but these old bones of mine can’t climb anymore.”

Cloud Mist Mountain was truly beautiful. Since leaving the palace, Shou’an Jun went to the mountains every spring and autumn—sometimes to appreciate flowers, sometimes to climb mountains and watch the sunrise, sometimes to hunt game, sometimes to burn incense at temples. Because it was close, she could go whenever she wanted. Her health was better than Old Madam Wei’s, probably thanks to frequently going to the mountains to exercise her muscles and bones.

Now that she was old and couldn’t climb anymore, strolling through the garden daily was also quite nice.

Shou’an Jun was very content.

Since grandmother wasn’t going, the three sisters Wei Rao, Zhou Huizhu, and Huo Lin each brought one maid and set off on horseback, taking the familiar small path.

The small path was two or three li from the official road, but visible when looking up.

The official road was bustling with endless streams of visitors, while the small path only had rural folk busy with spring plowing. The sudden appearance of several fine horses immediately drew attention.

Lu Zhuo rode his horse, following his family’s old madam’s carriage as it slowly moved forward. His field of vision was filled with spring scenery. Noticing the activity on the small path, Lu Zhuo turned his head to look and discovered the six horses of Wei Rao’s master and servants.

That small path passed near Shou’an Jun’s leisure estate. The first half of the road had no riders—these six people must have departed from the leisure estate.

Lu Zhuo immediately recalled the Fourth Lady of Earl Cheng’an’s mansion he had encountered by chance while hunting in the mountains not long ago.

Looking again at the “young men” on horseback, each had a slender build, and their riding postures revealed the caution and care typical of young ladies. The only exception was the “young man” in white running at the front, whose galloping figure was as dashing as any true man’s.

Lu Zhuo had a vague feeling that the “young man” in white was Wei Rao.

This Fourth Lady was truly wild enough.

“Big Brother, there seems to be another mountain path over there.” Lu Zhuo’s cousin, Lu Cong, also noticed the activity on the small path and was quite envious of the young men across who could gallop freely. Today, the old madam and the family’s women had come to Cloud Mist Mountain for an outing, and she had specifically requested him and his elder brother to accompany them. Lu Cong had been quite happy when leaving, but discovering that the brothers could only follow the carriage slowly and couldn’t do as they pleased, Lu Cong couldn’t help but regret accepting this duty. Had he known this trip would be so boring, he would have rather stayed in the mansion to practice martial arts with his master.

“So what if there is?” Lu Zhuo, who had already withdrawn his gaze, asked with a smile.

Lu Cong rubbed his nose and said in a low voice, “Big Brother, Grandfather has been strict lately. I haven’t been out of the city to exercise the horses in a long time. Moving this slowly is so unsatisfying. How about you stay to attend to Grandmother while I take the small path for a quick run and meet you all at the foot of the mountain?”

Lu Zhuo: “Inappropriate.”

Lu Cong wailed: “Why inappropriate?”

Lu Zhuo thought of Qi Zhongkai’s servile behavior in front of Wei Rao and strongly suspected that if Lu Cong saw Wei Rao, he would also become equally fawning.

“I’ve heard fox spirits are haunting the mountains. I fear you’d be bewitched by them,” Lu Zhuo said indifferently.

Lu Cong never expected to hear such talk of demons and spirits from his refined and upright elder brother’s mouth—he was so shocked his jaw nearly dropped.

Lu Zhuo said no more. In any case, without his permission, Lu Cong wouldn’t dare go anywhere.

Lu Cong indeed didn’t dare. He feared this brother of his, who wasn’t as proper as he seemed, would complain to their grandfather, and grandfather would throw him to the border for training—a trip that would last seven or eight years.

The carriage moved slowly. In the short five or six li distance, Wei Rao and her group had already disappeared into the mountains while Duke Ying’s convoy hadn’t even covered half the distance.

Moving so sluggishly, no wonder Lu Cong couldn’t stand it. As if his bottom had grown a rash, he restlessly squirmed back and forth in his saddle.

Lu Zhuo remained calm and composed, contentedly gazing at the scenery of Cloud Mist Mountain’s peaks, large and small.

In the fields beside the official road, common people in coarse clothing were spring plowing. Lu Zhuo’s gaze would also sweep over those busy figures. However, shortly after Wei Rao’s group entered the mountains, Lu Zhuo suddenly noticed two farmers wearing straw hats standing up from the edge of a field on the small path and walking shoulder to shoulder in the direction Wei Rao’s group had gone.

The two moved with agile steps and had no verbal communication as they walked, blending among other farmers like two wolves that had infiltrated a flock of sheep.

The two were already close to Cloud Mist Mountain and moved quickly—in the blink of an eye, they had disappeared into the forest.

Lu Zhuo’s expression remained unchanged. After continuing for a stretch, Lu Zhuo approached the carriage window and gently knocked.

A little maid opened the curtain, and Duchess Ying looked over with loving eyes.

Lu Zhuo said in a low voice: “Grandmother, I have some matters to handle. I’ll go into the mountain first and come back to accompany you to appreciate the flowers after I’m done.”

He smiled slightly, his gaze clear and bright, as if he had merely encountered some small matter.

Duchess Ying looked deeply at her eldest grandson and nodded.

Lu Zhuo said a word to Lu Cong, then sped up along the official road toward Cloud Mist Mountain.

Lu Cong was jealous enough to gnash his teeth. Fine, Lu Zhuo—you won’t let me gallop, but you go off first yourself!

Wei Rao, Zhou Huizhu, and Huo Lin were not the type to be demure and rule-abiding. Whether through martial arts practice or frequent travel, their stamina far exceeded those delicate ladies who stayed long in deep courtyards. So they climbed the mountain quickly too, reaching their destination in half an hour—a secluded mountain valley far from Cloud Mist Mountain’s main peak.

The valley had waterfalls and pools, with soft white sand along the banks and colorful, unknown wildflowers blooming in the nearby grass and forests.

Huo Lin, visiting here for the first time, was greatly amazed: “This place is so beautiful. I don’t want to go back.”

Wei Rao smiled: “If you think so, let’s come again tomorrow with tents and invite Grandmother too—we’ll camp overnight.”

She had done this with her master, staying in the mountains for over a month at a time.

Recalling those days, Wei Rao suddenly missed her master. Unfortunately, her master had the heart of a wandering cloud and wild crane. Once Wei Rao’s health was restored and her swordsmanship reached graduation level, her master had bid farewell—one sword, one horse, utterly carefree.

“Sister Rao is quite different from what I imagined.”

Watching Wei Rao remove her shoes and socks to walk barefoot on the soft beach, Huo Lin said half enviously, half emotionally, “Before coming to the capital, I thought Sister Rao would be like those official families’ daughters I’d seen in Taiyuan City—more rule-abiding than anyone. I even worried we wouldn’t get along.”

Wei Rao stood at the boundary between the pool water and dry sand, bending to roll up her pants while smiling and asking: “And now? Do you find this cousin too wild and crude?”

Huo Lin burst into laughter, her gaze moving from Wei Rao’s gorgeous, radiant face to her exposed, snow-white, beautiful legs. Her heartbeat inexplicably quickened. Wei Rao’s behavior in the mountains was indeed somewhat wild, but such a beauty looked beautiful doing anything—she couldn’t be associated with crudeness in the slightest.

“Come on, I’ll teach you to spear fish,” Wei Rao called with a smile.

Zhou Huizhu and Huo Lin both walked over enthusiastically.

Bao Chan and the other two maids stayed on shore, chatting while watching for any people in the vicinity. Usually, no one should be able to find this place, but necessary precautions still had to be taken.

Behind a cluster of bushes over half a person’s height, two masked assassins carefully hid. One had sinister triangular eyes, the other had a black mole on his nose bridge.

The three young ladies playing in the pool water were like celestial maidens descended to earth, beautiful with delightful laughter. However, as assassins bearing the duty of either success or death, neither had the mood to appreciate beauties.

They were waiting—waiting for that Fourth Lady to be alone.

Further away, Lu Zhuo hid behind a tree. From this angle, he could see those two assassins but not the three ladies in the lake.

He was curious about why the two assassins had been following the young ladies for so long without making a move.

If they weren’t planning to kill, Lu Zhuo had no reason to kill them either.

If they intended to kill, Lu Zhuo would wait for them to act before appearing, first letting the young ladies get thoroughly frightened and remember this lesson, so they wouldn’t continue wandering into the mountains alone without guards in the future.

The young ladies caught several fish and handed them to the maids to clean, preparing to make a fire and roast the fish.

The sunlight was getting a bit hot. Wei Rao removed her cap and was adjusting her hair when, from the corner of her eye, she noticed a patch of bushes suddenly move, then return to stillness in an instant.

Wei Rao continued arranging her hair, dampened by splashing pool water, then put on her shoes and socks. As she stood up, she said to Zhou Huizhu and Huo Lin: “I’m going to relieve myself.”

Zhou Huizhu wanted to go too.

Wei Rao smiled and said softly, “Wait a moment. After I return, you can go. I don’t want to see what I shouldn’t see.”

Zhou Huizhu’s face reddened slightly. How was Sister Rao becoming more and more mischievous?

Wei Rao patted the little girl’s head, turned, and walked into the forest, maintaining distance from that patch of bushes.

She looked ahead but could hear the movement behind her. Two people were following, and only two people.

Wei Rao had left her precious sword on shore, but she did have an emergency bracelet on her wrist.

Wei Rao had a good chance of winning in direct combat, but the commotion would be too great and would frighten her cousins.

Better to resolve this silently.

When the distance was sufficient, Wei Rao made a crouching motion, exposing a large opening. The two assassins saw this and immediately struck like tigers pouncing on sheep.

At that moment, Wei Rao suddenly rolled to the side, pressed the mechanism on her left wrist bracelet with her right hand, and two silver needles shot out in succession, embedding into the two men’s foreheads.

With this, the danger was resolved.

However, as the two who had lunged forward fell to the ground with muffled sounds, another tall figure they had been blocking appeared in Wei Rao’s sight. If not for Lu Zhuo’s strikingly beautiful appearance, which would make anyone remember him forever, allowing Wei Rao to recognize him in time, her bracelet would have targeted Lu Zhuo.

Too shocked, Wei Rao remained kneeling and forgot to move.

Similarly, because the two assassins’ bodies had blocked his view, Lu Zhuo hadn’t seen the concealed weapons Wei Rao had fired.

Lu Zhuo assumed both men had died by his hand, so in his eyes, Wei Rao became a brainless beauty who had been frightened stupid and brought this upon herself.