In the heavy rain, the young Prince of Hengyang, Liu Mu, advanced his sword inch by inch. Lightning crashed down from the sky, illuminating the youth’s pale, handsome face set with determination.

There was some reluctance.

He didn’t truly want to create bloodshed. The Second Young Master Lu was a simple, scholarly man who, though constantly trying to promote his cousin, hadn’t done anything particularly detestable. At most, he was annoying. But being annoying wasn’t a crime. When he learned his elder brother wanted to harm him, when the whole world seemed hostile, that servant of Lu Xian’s waiting at the alley entrance had calmed Liu Mu’s heart. The lantern in the servant’s hand had steadied Liu Mu’s violent temperament, allowing him to return home properly. Return home, lick his wounds, and finally decide how to deal with the royal brother who wanted him dead.

In some ways, Liu Mu even felt grateful to Lu Xian. However… however… The thatched hut was surrounded by Liu Mu’s forces who broke in. Liu Mu’s sword pointed straight ahead as Lu Xian retreated, face pale. Lu Xian anxiously explained: “You misunderstand! I just wanted to know what happened in between, why you became like that later… but I don’t care about what you’re planning to do!”

He just wanted to know what had happened between Liu Mu and Miss Luo – only by knowing could he save them. In the dream, Miss Luo was pitiful, but Liu Mu wasn’t happy either. No one achieved the best outcome. That dream, seen through his perspective, was after all just a dream, hazy and unclear in many places. He had to investigate in reality before he could…

But his words sounded like sophistry to Liu Mu’s ears. The youth’s lips curved in mockery: “At this point, why still pretend? My intent to commit regicide – Second Master Lu must find it treasonous, no?”

Lu Xian: “I know there must be a misunderstanding, must be a reason, you’re not that kind of person…” If the Prince of Hengyang were truly ruthless, he wouldn’t have merely found Lu Xian annoying after so many offenses. If the Prince of Hengyang were truly ruthless, when he thought the Prince of Chen had tried to assassinate him, his reaction wouldn’t have been limited to political opposition…

The only royal brother he trusted, the brother who had always cared for and looked after him, the source of all his strength, was different from ordinary royal family members competing for the throne.

Liu Mu felt profound sorrow – if his only brother in this world wanted to kill him, with his mother as an accomplice, who could he trust?

Staring at Lu Xian’s sincere eyes, watching him explain eagerly, young Liu Mu spoke again carelessly: “I don’t believe anything you say anymore, I trust no one now… You meddle too much. That day at my residence when you saw those Taoist priests, though you grew suspicious, you should have stayed out of it. You’re the Lu family’s Second Young Master – I could have pretended you knew nothing, what could I have done to you? But you insisted on understanding everything, so even though you’re the Lu family’s Second Young Master, I have no choice but to deal with you, even if it means making enemies of the Lu family…”

Lu Xian’s pupils contracted sharply—make enemies of the Lu family!

He instantly thought of his family’s fury after his third brother died in his dream. Back then, the Lu family had determined the Emperor was behind what happened to the Third Young Master, and they had turned against the Emperor. The noble families of Jianye had united to oppose the new Emperor. Neither side had reached supreme power, and neither was willing to release their authority. It was precisely this internal strife that had delayed national affairs, leaving the South surrounded by Northern armies…

Could it be that his third brother’s misfortune in the dream had, through his small changes in reality, become his misfortune?

Was Liu Mu destined to break with the noble families?!

Lu Xian’s heart sank as Liu Mu’s sword pressed against his chest, ice-cold and bone-chilling. Not entirely concerned for his safety, he still tried to persuade: “You can’t kill me! I’m a direct descendant of the Lu family – my death would have different consequences than that of an ordinary Lu family member. No matter how well you conceal it, there are no walls that don’t leak wind – the Lu family will certainly find out. You’ll be condemned by thousands, and viewed as an enemy by the noble families. Your future will be ruined…”

Liu Mu’s eyes narrowed – hearing him speak of “noble families” only confirmed that this person couldn’t be allowed to live.

Liu Mu: “I’m sorry, but those who learn such big secrets of mine either stay permanently by my side to ease my mind, or I send them to their death… I can’t trust a Lu family young master at my side, nor can I possibly align my interests with your noble families. Second Master Lu, you’re a good person, but I still must kill you.”

He hardened his heart, lowering his eyes to avoid Lu Xian’s pleading gaze, refusing to hear his explanations. Treating Lu Xian as an enemy, despite slight reluctance in his heart, his sword remained perfectly steady. As his words ended, “slash,” the sword’s edge cut through the young master’s clothes and thrust inward, blood spurting forth—

“Clang!”

Suddenly, a guard crashed into Liu Mu’s forward-thrusting sword from the side. This guard was one of Lu Xian’s men – after the Prince of Hengyang arrived, his subordinates captured all the guards who had accompanied Lu Xian. But how could the guards bear to see their young master die? In today’s predicament, no matter what, these guards couldn’t escape their fate. If Lu Xian lived, he would care for their families – given his character, their families would surely live without want; if Lu Xian were gone, they would have no hope at all!

This guard crashed into Liu Mu’s sword, heroically knocking aside the slender Lu Xian. Liu Mu froze, raising his eyes to see a dark figure lunging at him. He frowned, turning his sword and instinctively sinking his wrist to strike – this guard who had suddenly attacked died by his hand. With his dying breath, the guard shouted: “Protect the young master!”

The other captured guards in the hut shared the same mindset. Seeing one of their falls, they broke free from the Prince of Hengyang’s men’s restraints, counter-attacking and rushing toward Lu Xian, whose chest was seeping blood. Several guards lifted Lu Xian, coordinating perfectly – one broke through the window to escape while the others covered their retreat, engaging in fierce combat with the Prince’s pursuing subordinates. In the moment Liu Mu hesitated, several guards had already helped their young master escape through the window. Liu Mu rushed out of the hut to see several dark figures carrying Lu Xian disappearing into the deep forest through the lightning and rain mist.

Liu Mu: “Chase them!”

“At this point, we can’t let any of them escape!”

Lu Xian had been careless – the noble family’s young master’s dismissive attitude toward royal power shifts had led him to act without caution, now endangering his people. Now knowing Liu Mu meant to kill him, he had no choice but to flee desperately. In the forest were only he and a few guards, constantly hiding, continuously running, with dozens or hundreds of pursuers behind them. Liu Mu couldn’t possibly let him leave, let him expose tonight’s events.

As Lu Xian fled, he pressed his hand against his chest wound. Blood flowed freely as his mind grew fuzzy. While trying to find ways to escape, he unconsciously thought of his dream—

If this was his fate, what of Luo Lingyu?

Liu Mu couldn’t let his secret of intended regicide become known to the world. In the dream, when Miss Luo went to visit the sick Liu Mu, had she become suspicious and encountered those Taoist priests? Perhaps Miss Luo’s situation was even worse than his – she might have directly overheard Liu Mu’s conversation with those priests…

Heavy rain fell as the forest grew pitch black. Running through mud and water, the guards fell one by one until finally, no guards remained by Lu Xian’s side. Only he remained, running through the endless forest, trying to escape, but by now, he couldn’t even tell which direction to go.

Liu Mu’s footsteps followed behind, slowly, like a predator toying with its prey.

“Ah—”

The Second Young Master let out an agonized cry as vines caught his feet while running, causing him to fall violently. He rolled in the mud, crashed into a tree, then tumbled down a slope. Liu Mu’s eyes narrowed as he leaped forward, only to see the young master rolling down along the rugged, densely forested mountainside. In the torrential rain, Lu Xian’s figure disappeared.

After a moment’s pause, Liu Mu asked: “What’s below?”

A subordinate answered: “Lake Xuanwu… Young Master, shall we continue the pursuit?”

Liu Mu’s sword-holding hand trembled: Lake Xuanwu. With Lu Xian’s frail constitution, falling and rolling down the mountain, he could hardly survive. And Lake Xuanwu was so vast – how could they easily find a dead man?

Liu Mu sheathed his sword: “Stop the pursuit. Clean up any traces, and make it look like the Second Young Master Lu was sightseeing on the mountain and unfortunately fell to his death. Don’t let anyone see signs of fighting or anything from our Prince of Hengyang’s residence.”

The subordinates acknowledged and flew through the forest like hawks, going back to clean up the battlefield. Liu Mu stared at the pitch-black slope for a long while, scanning inch by inch, confirming he couldn’t see Lu Xian before slowly turning to leave. His heart felt numb as he recalled Lu Xian’s constant pestering—

Ingratiating: “Young Master, what do you think of my cousin?”

Vigilant: “Young Master, don’t set your sights on my cousin.”

Over and over, always about Luo Lingyu, Lu Xian had caused such chaos that one wanted to strangle him.

But Liu Mu hadn’t strangled him – he had killed him instead.

Liu Mu closed his eyes for a moment.

Returning to the Prince of Hengyang’s residence after midnight, changing clothes and bathing to rid himself of the unbearable filth and bloody smell, he encountered his worried advisor, Master Kong, waiting in the study. Despite his advanced age, Master Kong had stayed up all night out of concern for the youth. Waiting in the study, seeing Liu Mu’s expressionless, pale face, he immediately understood things had developed in that unfortunate direction.

Master Kong’s heart felt constricted.

Liu Mu looked at him as if studying whether he was trustworthy. After a long examination, Liu Mu spoke softly to Master Kong: “Kill all the guards who went out with me tonight. Do it quietly, don’t let people notice the Prince of Hengyang’s residence has changed its guards.”

Master Kong’s eyes widened in shock: “…My Lord!”

Those men had followed Liu Mu for so many years!

But the young master had already closed the door, his back rigid, unwilling to hear Master Kong’s protests.

…

The Second Young Master Lu wasn’t dead.

Yet he didn’t know what state he was in. His whole body ached, and his consciousness was clear, yet he couldn’t fully wake up. In this confused yet lucid state, his awareness sharpened as he heard a young lady’s soft, faint crying.

Hearing the lady’s crying, he stumbled toward the sound. Before losing consciousness, he had been pursued by the Prince of Hengyang; after losing consciousness, he found himself in an unfamiliar residence. Rain still fell steadily, and after walking through the courtyards and pavilions for a long time in the rain, the Second Young Master finally realized this was the courtyard where Miss Luo had lived in his dream.

In the dream, after Miss Luo returned to Jianye with the Prince of Hengyang, she hadn’t stayed at the Lu residence but had rented a courtyard of her own. In reality, the Second Young Master had specifically sought out this courtyard and bought it to prevent Miss Luo from living there again. Now he stood in the muddy water and had come here…

This must be another dream.

The Second Young Master stood beneath the window as rain poured down. He looked up to see dim lamplight in the window, hearing the young lady still crying inside. Through the window, he saw the lady’s silhouette and spoke with a trembling voice: “…Is that Cousin Luo?”

The people in the dream naturally wouldn’t answer him.

Luo Lingyu lay sobbing on the desk as Luo Yunzha’s clear but sorrowful voice said: “Sister, have you decided to marry the Prince of Hengyang? Is there no other way? If you marry him, what about Third Cousin?”

Outside the window, Lu Xian froze: …This was the first time he had heard in his dream what Luo Lingyu was admitting to.

Lu Xian’s heart pounded heavily.

Luo Lingyu’s mournful voice had already begun: “Young Master Fan is using the marriage contract to force me to submit, and I’ve stumbled upon the Prince of Hengyang’s secret. Besides marrying the Prince of Hengyang and promising never to betray him, what other choice do I have? I shouldn’t have gone to visit him when he was sick just to maintain a good reputation… Who cares if he lives or dies?” Only by bringing in another powerful noble could she suppress this marriage and make the Fan family withdraw the engagement. The Prince of Hengyang wanted to kill her – only by becoming his person could she avoid death.

“But, but…” Luo Yunzha said, “Perhaps if we ask Third Cousin, there might be a way…”

Hearing this, Luo Lingyu covered her face and cried again, saying angrily: “He’s angry with me, refusing to acknowledge me. If I go to him, he’ll just turn his face away and scold me. He’s already unhappy about me offending Young Master Fan, add the Prince of Hengyang to that… Even as the Lu family’s Third Young Master, he can’t withstand pressure from both sides.”

Lu Xian thought, yes, in the dream when he hadn’t interfered, Lu Yun and Cousin Luo were still arguing and reconciling, fighting and making up. But at that time, Lu Yun hadn’t injured his eyes. Lu Xian felt guilty – in reality, trying to help his third brother by pushing away the Prince of Hengyang from Luo Lingyu’s side. He had succeeded in pushing him away, but disasters came one after another, resulting in his third brother’s burned eyes.

In the dream, Lu Yun had only injured his arm at this time, his eyes unharmed, and he should have been busy working at the government office daily.

While Cousin Luo was isolated and helpless, caught between the Prince of Hengyang who knew she knew his secret, and Young Master Fan from Nanyang with his marriage contract.

Luo Lingyu raised her face, turning toward the window, speaking softly: “I have no choice. The Prince of Hengyang won’t let me go, and won’t give me a chance to seek Lu Yun’s help. When I see him again, it might be to bid farewell.”

Luo Yunzha choked up: “Can’t you try one more time? You’ll regret it…”

Luo Lingyu lowered her eyes, slowly stopping her tears, calming down: “I won’t. I’ll live well. Though the Prince of Hengyang forces me, the fact that he doesn’t kill me means he still harbors fantasies about me. From now on, I’ll please him, admire him, let him know my heart, let him marry me… make him believe my love for him means I’ll never betray him by revealing his secret.”

Luo Yunzha lowered her head, tears dripping onto the ground as she wiped her eyes. Her sister was going to switch her affections to another young master again… Her sister often found fault with one young master and immediately changed to another. She had never hesitated or wavered over any young master before.

Except for Third Cousin.

Though still young and unfamiliar with love, she had already seen through her sister that love meant wavering back and forth, constant repetition, disliking someone yet repeatedly drawing close to them. It meant losing face yet still stubbornly waiting for him. It meant having many demands of him, being unable to accept him looking down on her, unable to accept being seen as a plaything, and equally unable to… implicate him.

Luo Yunzha mumbled: “What’s wrong with implicating him? How do you know what Third Cousin would think? Sister, you should still try…”

The young Miss Luo Yunzha kept persuading Luo Lingyu. Though taught to be kind and pure by her sister, she shared one trait with her – stubbornness and determination. She kept persuading until eventually, Luo Lingyu began to waver slightly, convinced by her sister, thinking – perhaps seeking his help wouldn’t matter? Perhaps she shouldn’t fear implicating him?

Maybe he would truly be willing to face both the Prince of Hengyang and the Fan family of Nanyang for her sake.

If he wasn’t willing – at least she would have tried.

Luo Lingyu bent over the desk, spreading out the fine paper. Luo Yunzha ground ink beside her sister, watching her beautiful profile. Outside the window, Lu Xian, the Second Young Master who had been listening to their conversation, walked up the stone steps and floated into the room like a spirit. He stood beside the desk, watching as Luo Lingyu contemplated before writing down several characters—

“Through the ages, I ask one word from you, my love stand unmoved like mountains.”

Lu Xian’s spirit shook tremendously as he looked at Luo Lingyu: so in the dream, this poem was written at this moment.

Luo Lingyu handed the writing to Luo Yunzha, instructing softly: “You’re small, adults won’t notice you. Tomorrow I’ll pretend to be sick, you and Lingxi stay in the room pretending to be me. Don’t let the Prince of Hengyang in… You’re my sister, impersonating me should be easy. I’ll take this writing to find Lu Yun.”

The night deepened, and Luo Lingyu gazed worriedly out the window, murmuring: “He’ll understand my heart, won’t he?”

“Will he…” love me?

Noise arose outside the dream, and the dream broke off, the world turning pitch black. The last thing seen in the dream was Luo Lingyu sitting by the window in the lamplight, a beauty shedding tears, gazing pensively into the night like a black beast. Cloud-like hair and flowery countenance, flower-like face and moon-like visage. She sat by the window, listening to the rain, lost in thought. She carried a heart full of anticipation, waiting for someone who might not come.

…

Lu Xian wondered, what happened next.

That writing wasn’t delivered, was it? Was something delayed?

Otherwise, why did Lu Yun write “paper short, feelings long” yet never send it? And why did that writing still appear in Cousin Luo’s palace chambers in the end?

The Second Young Master desperately wanted to know what had happened in the dream, feeling unprecedented oppression in his heart, wanting to know where the misunderstanding lay.

But the noise in his ears persisted, and the voices of ladies in reality called him back from the dream—

“Princess, look! There’s someone here, how did they get injured so badly?”

That princess spoke with surprise and gentleness: “Pull him up… what happened here?”

…

Right! There was still a Prince of Hengyang in reality!

He needed to wake up quickly to stop the Prince of Hengyang from making irreversible mistakes! The Lu family wouldn’t let the Prince of Hengyang go. Watching this young noble fall step by step into the dark abyss, he needed to pull him out. None of them were villains, none of them should reach such a tragic end…

The nineteenth of the sixth month! The nineteenth was the day Cousin Luo would pledge allegiance to the Prince of Hengyang, he must wake up before that day.

…

The rain fell steadily for a day and night, and after another day, the sky finally cleared.

It was now the seventeenth of the sixth month.

Early morning, just as the Third Young Master Lu Yun finished washing up, the physician helped him remove the gauze and applied medicine to the scar near his eye. While rewrapping the young master’s gauze, the physician was very satisfied: “Good, only a small scar remains around the eye, vision should recover soon. In two more days, once the scar has completely faded, the young master can remove the gauze.”

The physician felt relieved, secretly proud of his medical skills for not leaving a scar on Lu Sanlaang’s face. If the Third Young Master’s face had been ruined, the spittle of all Jianye’s young ladies could have drowned him.

Lu Yun nodded: “Thank you for your efforts, sir.”

Lu Yun still reclined lazily against his pillow, one leg bent and one straight. His mood was somewhat irritable, having been confined at home for half a month due to his eye injury, with nothing to do, making him restless. Meanwhile, the matter of Luo Lingyu’s betrothed needed resolution – Fan Qingchen came to the Lu residence daily without fail to visit Luo Lingyu’s “illness.” Because she had to pretend to be sick, and Lu Yun’s movement was restricted, the two hadn’t seen each other for a long time.

Lu Yun tapped his knee, making a decision: “Jinyue, prepare things, I haven’t been to the government office for several days, I must go today to see if there are any important state matters.”

Jinyue advised from behind a screen: “With your eyes not yet healed, shouldn’t you avoid running around?”

Lu Yun spoke coolly: “A mere maid, trying to manage my affairs?”

Jinyue pursed her lips, about to argue back, when she saw the screen outside move slightly. Looking over, she was surprised to see the young miss sneaking in. Luo Lingyu waved at her, gesturing her to stay quiet. Luo Lingyu smiled brightly, wanting to see how Lu Yun spoke to others when she wasn’t around.

Jinyue smiled secretly, nodding while gesturing for the busy maids in the room to leave. With the sound of many footsteps, the Third Young Master couldn’t possibly tell who had entered and who had left.

Jinyue called out: “Alright, I’ll prepare things for the young master. But young master, you only remember to go to the government office, have you forgotten about our young miss’s matter? Are you not going to meet that Young Master Fan?”

Lu Yun coughed once, speaking lightly: “Make an appointment with that Fan fellow, I’ll meet him today while I’m out.”

Jinyue feigned surprise: “Meet him for what?”

Lu Yun: “You know very well!”

Jinyue giggled and went about her business, saying no more. As she glanced at Luo Lingyu, she saw the young lady’s eyelashes tremble slightly, threads of joy appearing in her expression.

Embarrassed by Jinyue’s look, Luo Lingyu stood outside the curtain, covering her flushed cheeks as she smiled proudly, patting her burning face. She had come to find Lu Yun because she was anxious, hoping shamelessly that Lu Yun would help her resolve Fan Qingchen’s forced marriage. She had thought it through – things had reached this point, and reconciliation was impossible. The only way to make Fan Qingchen back down was for Lu Yun to join in, show his love for her, and propose marriage to the Luo family…

Ahem.

Luo Lingyu felt Lu Yun wouldn’t agree.

He would even mock her for being “arrogant.”

But she came anyway, taking a deep breath—no matter how he scolded her, she wouldn’t get angry. Even if it was a pretense, she had to make Young Master Fan surrender. She had to force Lu Yun to agree to help her! They had already kissed and embraced, what was wrong with him helping ward off some admirers? It was just using his authority to pressure someone, and with her beauty and talent, he wasn’t losing out either.

Lu Yun turned his head, hearing movement outside the curtain: “Who’s outside?”

Luo Lingyu: “…!”

Jinyue quickly covered: “Young master, it’s me, I’ve brought your clothes.”

Jinyue hurried over, handing the neatly folded clothes to Luo Lingyu. The clothes were fragrant with warm incense, and holding them felt like smelling Lu Yun’s scent. Luo Lingyu’s face flushed red, and under Jinyue’s urgent gaze, she steeled herself and entered carrying the young master’s clothes. Upon entering, she immediately saw the Third Young Master in loose inner clothes slightly open, hand resting on his knee, long hair flowing, eyes covered with gauze.

Just sitting there casually.

Naturally, a personal maid would help the young master change clothes.

Luo Lingyu thought this perfectly reasonable, and thick-skinned as she was, she paused only briefly before unfolding the robe and bending forward to drape it over the young master who sat quietly thinking on the couch.

Lu Yun: “…?!”

Where did this ignorant maid come from? How had Jinyue trained this newcomer?

Most annoyed by women touching him in his life, the moment this maid draped the clothes, Lu Yun grabbed her slender wrist, about to throw her away. His strength was extremely forceful, and as he gripped her wrist, the young lady let out a cry of surprise. At her cry, Lu Yun immediately froze. He pulled back the force meant to throw her, but unable to control it properly, he had to absorb his own internal force’s backlash to pull her back.

Holding her tightly, he suddenly pressed her down onto the couch beneath him.

Lu Yun lowered his face, his hand touching her face, surprised: “Lingyu?”

Unexpectedly, as he lowered his head, his hand touched the slightly exposed skin below her collar, luxuriant and full, smooth and warm, his fingertips filled with fragrance.

Lu Yun: “…”

Luo Lingyu: “…”