The eastern suburbs of Jianye were home to many noble and royal residences. Although Prince Hengyang rarely stayed in Jianye, the Empress Dowager doted on him, and his mansion was located in this area. When the intruders broke in at night, the moon was bright but the stars were sparse, and Prince Hengyang’s mansion was dimly lit as everyone had retired to rest. In the quietness, Liu Mu had just fallen asleep when he heard the warning sound of arrows whistling through the air outside. Liu Mu abruptly sat up, the window lattice brilliantly illuminated by firelight, reflecting his sinister countenance.

“Young Master, someone has broken into the dungeon to rescue prisoners!” The door was urgently and heavily knocked.

Liu Mu hastily put on clothes and went out, but before leaving, his eyes swept across the wall, grabbing an ox-horn bow hanging there. Opening the door to his attendants, Liu Mu was escorted by everyone toward the center of the battle, his face full of anger: “I knew Jianye wasn’t peaceful, many people don’t submit to me. Breaking into the dungeon to rescue people, didn’t you make any arrangements? Are you all just eating free meals?!”

The guards were scolded into stammering and lowering their heads, not daring to speak more, inwardly crying out in distress.

Even before entering Jianye, Prince Hengyang had been ambushed on the way. He should have recovered from his injuries before entering Jianye, but Liu Mu, in his youthful arrogance, insisted on entering Jianye to complain to His Majesty and the Empress Dowager. After much persuasion from the Prince’s advisors, this overbearing young master finally didn’t reveal the whole truth. They had kept one of the assassins, hoping to learn who wanted to kill Prince Hengyang; to His Majesty, Prince Hengyang only said someone wanted to kill him. When the advisors learned that Third Young Master Lu had left Jianye for several months, they couldn’t help but speculate.

Having anticipated that someone would come to investigate, they had made many arrangements, even inviting an expert to set up mystical formations in the forest outside the dungeon… yet they still couldn’t stop the intruder?

Everyone was shocked: Was the skill level of Jianye’s assassins this high?

Prince Hengyang Liu Mu rushed over angrily with his guards, and his face darkened even more when he saw the scene. He saw firelight dancing like dragons, and his mansion’s guards, after being awakened, surrounded the night raiders in three layers inside and out. Seeing such a commotion in his mansion, Liu Mu thought there must be many assassins. But when he looked, the black-clad person wearing a cone hat surrounded in the middle was just one person.

This black-clad person was holding a barely breathing hostage.

With a veil covering his face under the cone hat, the intruder held a sword in one hand and the hostage in the other, his movements sharp and swift. Fighting while retreating, even with so many guards, they couldn’t block his path outward.

“My Lord, My Lord…” The oldest advisor in the mansion, a small half-centenarian, hurriedly tied his clothes and ran out after being startled awake. The little old man ran breathlessly, calling for his lord earnestly and anxiously. Suddenly seeing the black-clad person surrounded in the middle, even through the cone hat, it seemed as if he was given a chilling glance. The little old man froze, hoping the other would think him just a useless steward of the mansion.

However, this assassin was incredibly perceptive. Upon hearing this, he suddenly leaped into the air. Even while holding an unconscious person, it didn’t affect his fighting ability. While in mid-air, he suddenly struck out, his killing move sweeping toward the trembling little old man leaning against the trellis below.

Liu Mu: “Master Kong—!”

Before finishing his words, he nocked an arrow and shot, the arrow aimed directly at the airborne assassin. The assassin paused in mid-air, flipping backward. But the incoming arrow was swift and powerful, and as he retreated sideways, his arm was lightly grazed by the arrow. The assassin landed and re-entered the encirclement, forced to fight again.

Liu Mu coldly commanded: “Arrow formation!”

“Yes!” The guards responded in unison, their voices shaking the heavens.

Liu Mu put down his bow and hurriedly rushed to the side of his advisor “Master Kong” whom he had just saved. Although Prince Hengyang had many advisors and retainers, Master Kong had been by his side caring for him since his childhood. Master Kong was found by the Empress Dowager, not only helping Liu Mu with strategies but also taking care of his daily needs during childhood. Liu Mu’s feelings toward Master Kong were naturally deeper than toward others.

Rushing over to grab the little old man’s arm, Liu Mu pushed him toward the inner courtyard: “What are you doing here? Go back and hide!”

“My Lord, My Lord!” Having escaped death, Master Kong’s legs were weak, but he gripped Liu Mu’s hand, urgently pointing at the black-clad assassin who was again surrounded by arrows, “My Lord, if he’s an assassin wearing night-traveling clothes, he should know that wearing a cone hat is less convenient than a face cloth during combat, so why does this assassin wear a cone hat?”

Liu Mu’s heart stirred, and he stopped: “Continue, Master.”

Master Kong’s eyes shone brilliantly: “His cone hat’s four-sided veil is longer than usual, not only hindering his vision but also preventing others from seeing him. Since he’s already come to raid Prince Hengyang’s mansion at night, why take this extra step, choosing such cumbersome attire? The difference between a cone hat and a face cloth is that his cone hat can completely hide his face, while a regular face cloth can only cover the mouth and nose below the eyes…”

Liu Mu blurted out: “This person must have extremely distinctive facial features, recognizable at a glance. Even just by seeing his eyes!”

Liu Mu further deduced: “This person isn’t an ordinary trained assassin… Yes, this person could even break through the mystical formations, how could an ordinary assassin have the energy to learn such things? This person doesn’t dare let me see his face… perhaps he’s extremely handsome, perhaps I know him!”

“Master Kong, thank you!”

The youth bowed, and after expressing his sincere thanks, shouted “Remove his hat!” while personally leading the attack. Seeing that he understood, Master Kong stroked his beard with satisfaction behind him. Clutching his frightened, pounding heart, Master Kong was finally helped back to the inner courtyard by servants. However, he wouldn’t go back to sleep, instead peering through the courtyard gate, constantly looking toward the battle scene, wondering which famous figure from Jianye had come to assassinate Prince Hengyang.

Just how many people in Jianye hated his lord?

Master Kong was extremely worried.

Yet at the center of the battle, the situation between enemy and ally reversed again!

The surrounded assassin was excellent in both martial arts and cunning. Even with Prince Hengyang personally leading troops to surround him, he remained calm and unhurried, maintaining the same fighting rhythm as before. The assassin retreated toward the mansion’s study, and those surrounding him thought they had figured out his plan, assuming he wanted to steal something from the study. The path to the study was filled with troops, with more and more people gathering. After seeing the arrangement, the assassin’s fighting became somewhat panicked, his rhythm suddenly quickened, and the person he was holding was repeatedly thrown against walls, falling and covered in blood. Just as everyone thought victory was assured, the assassin’s figure suddenly turned sideways.

Prince Hengyang Liu Mu’s heart jumped: “Not good!”

That was a blind spot for them—

Sure enough, the assassin flipped backward through the air, and the fighters were disrupted several times by him, with the formation all concentrated in front. He retreated backward, where there were few people, and with one counterattack, caught them off guard. At this moment, the assassin, carrying his hostage, jumped over the wall and escaped from Prince Hengyang’s mansion.

Everyone in Prince Hengyang’s mansion: “…”

They almost didn’t dare to look at Prince Hengyang’s expression.

While they were still ashamed, Prince Hengyang had already nocked another arrow and unhesitatingly jumped over the wall to chase: “How dare you, thief!”

Everyone was startled: “Young Master!”

With the young master showing such bravery, going alone to chase the enemy, what use were they? The young master’s precious life, if anything happened, the entire prince’s mansion would have to pay with their lives. How could a mere assassin’s life be worth as much as the young master’s? Everyone was scared pale as paper and followed in pursuit. The personal guards protecting Prince Hengyang were even more anxious, making several leaps in the night, searching for Prince Hengyang.

The eastern suburbs were all noble territory, the grounds vast, with courtyards arranged in succession. Prince Hengyang, with his fierce strength and courage, chased the assassin for a mile. He shot his bow several times, and with his great strength and good timing, after the fighting, the assassin was already wounded, and being chased like this, Liu Mu hit him several more times.

Yet Liu Mu was angry: He hadn’t hit any vital spots!

The assassin, carrying someone, darted through the night, seemingly very familiar with the terrain. While those chasing him, including Prince Hengyang, thread through garden after garden, Liu Mu began to feel dizzy. Just as Liu Mu’s mind wandered, greatly annoyed, his attendants caught up with him.

Guard A: “Young Master, you absolutely must not act alone! If you’re injured again, His Majesty will surely kill us.”

Guard B: “Young Master, such ordinary matters can be left to us servants. Young Master must remember to take care of yourself.”

Guard C: “Young Master, this area is the residential district of nobles and royalty, you must not act rashly, it would be inappropriate to disturb the noble residents.”

One sentence after another, Liu Mu was advised until he was full of anger. But these people were all old hands around him, all arranged by the late emperor, Empress Dowager, and others, so even though he was tired of hearing it, he could only endure his anger and push these people away. But pursuing further, the assassin’s trail had become very difficult to find.

Liu Mu: “It’s all your fault! Holding me back!”

“Can’t you all stop following me for once—from Hengyang to Jianye, can’t I have a moment to act alone?!”

Everyone knelt together, crying pitifully: “Young Master, we are incompetent—”

Liu Mu was furious, violently throwing his bow to the ground. These guards insisted he stay behind while they went ahead to pursue, and Liu Mu could only endure it. After another quarter hour of pursuit, the servants said the footsteps had become lighter, which was unusual. Liu Mu raised an eyebrow, coldly watching to see what they could analyze. They analyzed: “The assassin’s trail becomes lighter here, either he has escaped to a safe place, or he and the person he rescued have separated here.”

Liu Mu paused: “Separated here? Where could they separate too?”

The guards said: “North is Mount Zhong, southwest is the palace gate, and this area is noble residences. Master Kong said this person is unusual, so the palace gate direction is most likely. But from the earlier battle in the study, we can see this person is clever and good at reverse thinking. So the palace gate might be a diversion, and the possibility of him escaping to Mount Zhong might be higher.”

Liu Mu: “…”

This group of his subordinates, although they always overprotected him and didn’t want him to take any risks, had many capable people. At least this analysis, for someone unfamiliar with Jianye like him, couldn’t have figured it out. Having concluded, Prince Hengyang’s people immediately split into teams to search separately. Prince Hengyang led most of the people toward Mount Zhong, which according to their analysis had a higher probability…

…

Mount Zhong was elegant, with purple clouds rising like smoke.

The day before, having lost Third Young Master Lu Yun who had come with them, Luo Lingyu and Second Young Master Lu searched everywhere but couldn’t find him. With Second Young Master Lu’s comfort that “this is common, Third Brother appears and disappears mysteriously, you’ll get used to it,” Luo Lingyu could only go with Second Young Master Lu to meet with the young ladies first. The young ladies came in twos and threes, bringing along their close female friends, and that Lady Han who had left the Lu family earliest even brought Princess Ninping Liu Tang to play with them.

Meeting the princess for the first time, Luo Lingyu wore a smile on her face while feeling nervous inside. Where the noble ladies couldn’t see, she quietly wiped the sweat from her palms. Seeing the noble ladies chatting and laughing naturally, not particularly deferential to the princess, Luo Lingyu’s understanding of these aristocratic young ladies became clearer: their family backgrounds were so distinguished that in their eyes, a royal princess was perhaps just someone who had slightly better luck in their birth, nothing too extraordinary.

This was the confidence of great aristocratic families.

Luo Lingyu felt both admiration and envy, becoming even more determined to marry into a noble family.

Princess Ninping Liu Tang was about the same age as Luo Lingyu, with a personality so quiet it bordered on shyness. From Luo Lingyu’s observation, when invited to play by Lady Han, Liu Tang seemed even more nervous than herself, a country bumpkin from Nanyang. Behind the princess’s back, Luo Lingyu joked with Lady Han: “I originally thought all princesses would be arrogant and overbearing, but I never expected this princess to be so graceful and gentle.”

Lady Han dismissively snorted, thinking to herself: how many princesses have you ever met?

The more gentle-natured Lady Wang smiled and introduced to Luo Lingyu: “This princess is Prince Chen Liu Chu’s younger sister. Since Prince Chen doesn’t talk much, naturally his sister doesn’t speak much either. Haven’t you met her before? Prince Chen and Third Young Master Lu are close friends, when I lived at the Lu residence before, I often saw Prince Chen visiting Third Cousin to play. Sometimes Princess Ninping would go along… you haven’t met her?”

Luo Lingyu was stunned for a moment, then smiled and said she hadn’t met them. Other young ladies hearing their conversation said that if Luo Lingyu stayed at the Lu residence longer, she would eventually meet them. When Prince Chen was mentioned, the topic inevitably led to Third Young Master Lu, and the ladies’ tones became somewhat resentful—they had stayed at the Lu residence just to have more “chance encounters” with Third Young Master Lu. But for several months straight, Third Young Master Lu wasn’t at the Lu residence; when he finally returned, he used his injuries as an excuse not to go out.

The young ladies had thick-skinedly stayed at the Lu residence for several months, and in the end, were even mocked by Lady Lu, yet they still barely saw Third Young Master Lu once… The ladies sourly said: “Miss Luo has it good, just arriving at the Lu residence and already being shown around the garden by Third Cousin, surely you must be even more familiar now.”

“Miss Luo, being so graceful and beautiful, Third Cousin must like talking with you more?”

Luo Lingyu said shamefully: “No. He finds me very annoying.”

Though the truth of her words was uncertain, all the ladies were comforted. The conversation turned to other topics. Princess Ninping Liu Tang listened to their conversation in a daze, taking a while to realize that Miss Luo was now living at the Lu residence. She thought about her brother’s relationship with Third Young Master Lu and quietly began to observe Luo Lingyu. When Luo Lingyu met her gaze, the beauty’s eyes were like rippling waves and peach-tinted cheeks with rouge-red lips, just a light glance made Liu Tang blush and avoid her gaze.

Liu Tang secretly thought: This lady is so strikingly beautiful. I wonder if my brother has seen her? Why hasn’t my brother mentioned her?

Meanwhile, Luo Lingyu was thinking: This princess is so shy and seems somewhat familiar… Ah, I remember now, that night when Lady Lu confronted me, I ran into Third Cousin with a gentleman, that gentleman, thinking about it now, must have been Prince Chen Liu Chu.

Luo Lingyu’s thoughts became active: From their conversation, Prince Chen Liu Chu is also unmarried… Heavens, the gentlemen around my Third Cousin are either Prince Hengyang or Prince Chen, either noble lords or royal family members, each one outstanding, it’s dazzling to look at.

I don’t believe all gentlemen in the world are as hard to please as Third Cousins!

Luo Lingyu smiled at Liu Tang with blushing cheeks, and Liu Tang again shyly turned away her eyes.

The first afternoon, they didn’t play much with the young ladies, as everyone was very tired and went to bed early. On the second day, Luo Lingyu went with the ladies to play on Mount Zhong’s three peaks. Second Young Master Lu Xian was worried about his cousin, and the master at Kaishan Temple’s interpretation couldn’t resolve his confusion, leaving him troubled and still half-believing in his dream. Second Young Master Lu wanted to clear his mind, so he quietly followed along with the ladies to play. Although Second Young Master Lu was steady and didn’t talk much, some ladies actively engaged him in conversation, making the outing not seem boring, and Second Young Master Lu smiled more.

By evening, the ladies stayed overnight at Peach Blossom Bay on the mountain. This Peach Blossom Bay on Mount Zhong was a peninsula, lush with flowers and trees, where birds and cranes competed in spring. The eastern side of Peach Blossom Bay was an extremely large Purple Mist Lake, its waters clear and transparent, collecting Mount Zhong’s spring water. At night, one side had wing rooms for residence, one side was quiet by the lake. Spring water tinkled, and peach blossoms floated abundantly on Purple Mist Lake, how peaceful and beautiful this place was.

After playing all day, after dark, the maids lit flower branch lanterns, and the ladies gathered around small tables to sit together, not rushing to sleep early, but playing games instead. From Go, blind appreciation, flower thread picking, and lantern riddles, all the way to arrow tossing at a pot, Luo Lingyu finally lost completely. The ladies were surprised, then burst into laughter: “We thought nothing could stump Sister (Elder Sister) Luo, but it turns out you’re not good at arrow tossing.”

Arrow tossing required finding a target and steadily throwing arrows to hit it.

Luo Lingyu indeed wasn’t good at it.

She sat properly at the table, admitting shamefully: “I’m not good at sports, anything requiring movement, I’m not good at… but Your Highness plays extremely well.”

Princess Ninping Liu Tang was startled for a moment, realizing Luo Lingyu was praising her, her cheeks reddening as she waved her hands, saying softly: “No, no, no… this just needs practice. I envy Sister Luo, if I could write poetry and paint like Sister Luo, the other princess sisters wouldn’t refuse to play with me.”

Lady Wang mediated: “Everyone has their strengths. Your Highness is good at arrow tossing, Sister Luo is good at games.”

Lady Han sourly said from the side: “Hmph, what use is being good at this? No matter how good you are, in a few days, the Flower Goddess title won’t fall to any of us.”

Luo Lingyu immediately turned to look, asking puzzled: “What ‘Flower Goddess’? Sister, you mean the ‘Flower Festival Day’?”

Lady Han explained: “Yes. On Jianye’s Flower Festival Day, they select the most talented and beautiful among the young ladies to be the ‘Flower Goddess’ each year. This is a competition, not only do the gentlemen and ladies of each family vote, but Jianye invites five famous scholars to judge every year. Being selected as ‘Flower Goddess’ means not only scattering flowers and giving blessings to the city’s common people on Flower Festival Day but also having talented scholars paint portraits and write poems in praise, with the portrait being recorded in the ‘Flower Goddess Register’. This is a great honor…”

The more she spoke, the more sour and resentful her tone became. The other ladies had varying expressions, but most showed admiration and envy.

Lady Wang turned her head to stare at Luo Lingyu for a long while, then smiled: “Sister Luo, with your appearance, and talent that we all acknowledge, why don’t you try this year? If you try, I’ll give my vote to you.”

After a moment of surprise, the ladies all came to observe Luo Lingyu, then after various thoughts, all smiled and said they could give their votes to her. Luo Lingyu repeatedly waved her hands saying she couldn’t, while Lady Han sneered: “It’s useless no matter how much you praise Sister Luo. Lady Chen, who once studied under the current great scholar Zhou Tan, has been ‘Flower Goddess’ for two consecutive years. It doesn’t matter who we choose, in the end, it’s who the famous scholars decide. They’re all scholars, and in the end, they’ll choose Zhou the great scholar’s beloved student Lady Chen.”

Everyone paused, and someone said: “Lady Chen’s talent is indeed better than ours.”

Luo Lingyu became thoughtful, her mind stirring.

From what they said, this “Lady Chen” whom she had never met seemed to be the acknowledged “talented lady” among Jianye’s young ladies. Luo Lingyu didn’t care who the talented lady was, but the honor of “Flower Goddess” came only once a year, and would eventually be recorded in the “Flower Goddess Register” for people to read and praise. Even if not for marriage prospects, this honor was worth competing for. Moreover, given the high regard people of this era had for the “Flower Goddess,” one could almost imagine the benefits for marriage prospects.

But this Lady Chen had such deep foundations, how could she, a newcomer, defeat her…

Luo Lingyu quietly listened to the ladies argue, her mind turning over her thoughts, small calculations spinning in her mind. Suddenly, Princess Liu Tang beside her turned her face and said softly: “I think you can become ‘Flower Goddess’.”

Luo Lingyu’s phoenix eyes lifted slightly, her bright eyes sparkling in return. Thoughts arose in her mind as she stared at Liu Tang, thinking: Oh, princess… it seems no princess has ever competed for “Flower Goddess” before, if a princess were to compete, would she be able to match that Lady Chen?

Luo Lingyu found herself a stepping stone and smiled in return: “I think you could too. Let your brother help you. And you have so many brothers.”

All princes of high position and authority, who would dare compete?

Liu Tang was stunned, clearly having never thought of this before, her eyes blinking as her thoughts stirred: Oh, yes, she could play this game too.

After successfully encouraging Liu Tang and joking with the ladies for less than an hour more, the night deepened, and the ladies became sleepy one after another, each retiring to bed. Letting Lingyu and other maids stay to help clean up the feast’s remains, Luo Lingyu went out alone to walk along the lake.

The peninsula’s sea of flowers stretched endlessly, her clothes brushing the water like passing swans, Luo Lingyu walked slowly along Purple Mist Lake’s edge, crimson flower petals falling gently from above, floating with the flowing water. Luo Lingyu’s heart was extremely stirred, walking while pondering how she would compete for that Flower Goddess title.

If a princess participated and matched Lady Chen, that would be good. When two tigers fight, she, a lady from outside, might have a chance to rise unexpectedly. However, that wasn’t enough, she would have to be exceptionally outstanding, catching people’s eyes at first glance, to pave the best path to becoming “Flower Goddess.” Luo Lingyu paced back and forth by the lake, wondering what talents she should use to dazzle the world…

As she hesitantly walked along the lake, the lake water suddenly rippled, splashing with bubbles, and a hand reached out from the water, grabbing Luo Lingyu’s foot.

Luo Lingyu was scared out of her wits, and just as she was about to scream, a dripping-wet gentleman with a pale face emerged from the lake: “Don’t shout… save me.”

The handsome gentleman who suddenly emerged from Purple Mist Lake at midnight, his chest and arms covered in blood, looking like a water ghost, was none other than Third Young Master Lu Yun, who had disappeared for two days.

Lu Yun looked up to see Luo Lingyu’s hesitant expression, and gave a bitter laugh: Why is it her again? Why couldn’t other ladies be like Luo Lingyu, liking to wander back and forth by Purple Mist Lake in the middle of the night?

This heartless woman Luo Lingyu… would she push him back into the water and pretend not to have seen him, turn and leave, claiming another day “it was too dark, I couldn’t see clearly”?