1398 AD

Li Dingyuan confirmed he had shaken off the Embroidered Uniform Guards following him and deliberately made several more detours before climbing over a wall into a quiet residence.

This was no longer the broken house where Lüdi had originally placed him. Eight years ago, he and Ruyi had lived very hard lives at first – two children with no money, lacking even food and clothing. The white jade zodiac pendant he had kept was sold for some silver, but that was quickly used up. Later, Ruyi dug up a box in the backyard of that broken house, filled with banknotes and gold leaves, which finally improved their situation. Over these eight years, they had posed as children who came to Yingtian Prefecture to seek relatives but failed, moving through several different places. Though knowing the capital had become a killing field, Li Dingyuan had no intention whatsoever of leaving.

Eight years ago, he had already learned that not all his family members were executed. His second uncle and two cousins were spared by the emperor out of consideration for Princess Lin’an, but they couldn’t remain in the capital and could only live in Jiangpu on the outskirts of Yingtian Prefecture. Before long, they were relocated to Nanchang County in Jiangxi. Princess Lin’an accompanied them, but Li Dingyuan knew his second uncle and second aunt princess would certainly have discord, and the whole small family would be united in appearance but divided in heart. Though he knew displaced anger was irrational, emotionally he couldn’t help it.

He hadn’t dared to acknowledge his second uncle’s family, because he knew that side would definitely be watched by Embroidered Uniform Guards. Even though his appearance had changed from his past round looks and he had grown from child to youth, if his second uncle and the others showed any unusual attitude toward him, it would ultimately bring fatal disaster.

Moreover, he still had to remain in Yingtian Prefecture to avenge his family!

Thinking of tonight’s failed assassination attempt, Li Dingyuan was filled with murderous intent. No matter – this time was already an improvement over the last attempt; next time he would try even harder. He covered the wound at his waist and stepped into the tree shadows under moonlight. With a “creak,” the lit window was pushed open, and a cold female voice said flatly: “Come in.”

Li Dingyuan shrank his neck. Ruyi was angry, wasn’t she? If he babbled about propriety between men and women at this moment, Ruyi would probably explode the next second… The young man’s murderous aura completely dissipated as he hung his head and bent his waist, entering the room without backbone.

This was an extremely simple boudoir with few furnishings or decorations. The only bright spot was the young woman sitting at the table with her chin propped on one hand. Her eyebrows and eyes were like paintings, her features beautiful. Though wearing simple hairpins and cloth skirts, this couldn’t hide her delicate beauty. Especially her skin, tender and lustrous as white jade, was even more dazzling in the dim lamplight.

Only when the young woman glared at him fiercely with those beautiful eyes did Li Dingyuan realize he had been staring at Ruyi again. He immediately looked down to cover his embarrassment, just in time to see the pair of feet the young woman had exposed under the table.

Those were natural feet – the young woman hadn’t bound her feet during these years of wandering with him. But this was also what Li Dingyuan was most satisfied about, because Ruyi hadn’t bound her feet, so despite being so beautiful, few people came to propose marriage. When there were persistent suitors, they would use their final move of relocating. Of course, he would never despise Ruyi. He had once accidentally glimpsed Ruyi’s natural feet – those perfect jade feet were breathtakingly beautiful.

Li Dingyuan didn’t know what psychology drove him, but from eight years ago, from the moment he introduced Ruyi to outsiders, he had never thought of disguising them as siblings.

They weren’t siblings anyway!

He had seen her feet, so he should take responsibility, right? Once their revenge was complete, he would definitely propose properly!

Ruyi narrowed her eyes watching Li Dingyuan’s face slowly redden before her, suddenly feeling this boy wasn’t reflecting at all. She stood up and, under the young man’s shocked gaze, directly stripped off his night clothing and tore away the bandages. Seeing that hideous wound, she couldn’t help but be stunned.

“I already applied medicine and treated it myself,” Li Dingyuan knew Ruyi was worried about him and quietly explained. If it were still bleeding, he definitely couldn’t have avoided those Embroidered Uniform Guard fellows.

Ruyi slowly closed his clothing and said with lowered eyes: “Why is it always like this? He’s already seventy years old and won’t live much longer. You’re still young – you’ll outlive him.”

Li Dingyuan’s eyes became cold as he clenched his fists: “That’s different.”

“Is revenge… that important?” Ruyi raised her head, her flower-like face full of confusion.

“Very important.” Li Dingyuan said word by word. He spoke each syllable slowly and heavily, as if convincing Ruyi and also convincing himself. “I can’t take the imperial examinations because all successful candidates must have their ancestry checked for three generations, and I don’t even have the qualification to take the test. Wanting to enter the palace as a guard is also impossible. Joining the army is a possibility, but it would take many years to rise through military ranks. I originally wanted to observe the situation in Yingtian Prefecture and incite other ministers to rebellion, but three years ago even Feng Sheng, the last surviving of the six founding dukes, was killed. The entire court is extremely cowardly – I think they wouldn’t dare fart during court ceremonies.”

Ruyi frowned slightly, whether because of Li Dingyuan’s crude analogy or his unwavering determination over all these years.

The young woman’s slightly furrowed brow in the lamplight, showing worry and unease, made Li Dingyuan’s heart incredibly tender. He had grown up with Ruyi, and though he didn’t know her true identity, he could guess her background was certainly distinguished. At eleven, when he realized the path of studying for imperial examinations wasn’t realistic, he searched everywhere for masters to learn martial arts. After Ruyi learned of his wish, she directly gave him a martial arts manual and answered all his questions when he was confused, later finding him an incredibly sharp Qingming sword. Among the generals who followed Zhu Yuanzhang’s campaigns north and south were many martial arts masters. Seeing that Ruyi didn’t want to speak about it, Li Dingyuan didn’t ask in detail about her background.

“Is your wish still revenge? To what extent exactly? That person killed by your own hand? Or… the complete overthrow of the Ming Dynasty?” Ruyi slightly parted her vermillion lips, speaking in a calm tone, but the words she uttered could subject her to extreme punishment.

Though Li Dingyuan was certain there was no one around the house, he still shivered nervously. He imagined it and murmured: “Killing him personally would be too easy for him. He harmed my whole family – I’d rather let his descendants kill each other… Overthrowing this dynasty – I know my limitations; I absolutely couldn’t do it. But if I could cause some troublesome chaos for his rule… Heh, truly a fantasy.”

“Though you say it’s a fantasy, you actually really want it in your heart, don’t you?” Ruyi teased irritably.

Li Dingyuan solemnly nodded – this was indeed his wish.

His grandfather, both parents, uncles and brothers and sisters… all died full of injustice in one night. Over these eight years, he had barely slept peacefully once. Whenever he closed his eyes, he seemed to see those relatives’ wronged souls crying out to him, always waking from nightmares of endless seas of blood. He was still alive, but suffering in agony. Hatred was like bone-eating poisonous insects, gnawing at his soul every moment, never allowing peace.

During these eight years, he had countless times thought that if grandfather hadn’t had Lüdi carry him away at the last moment, letting him die together with his family members, it might have been happier.

But he couldn’t die so weakly. Grandfather protected his escape – though not wanting him to do anything, simply wanting him to survive – yet he couldn’t whitewash peace and pretend nothing had happened.

Even if his future days would be immersed in hatred’s mire with no escape, he had to grit his teeth and persist.

Thinking this, Li Dingyuan felt his spine chill as if falling into an ice cellar. He had just been thinking that once their revenge was complete, he would propose to Ruyi. But could that hatred be so easily avenged? How many more years could his Ruyi wait for him? How could he bear to, how could he cruelly drag her into that filthy quagmire too…

Li Dingyuan’s heart felt like a sharp saw cutting back and forth, causing piercing pain.

Why was Ruyi asking him so clearly tonight? Was she tired of this life? Was she already considering completely abandoning him to seek her own new life?

Li Dingyuan looked up with a confused heart, just meeting Ruyi’s deep gaze.

The young woman’s lips bloomed with a tender smile as she gently stroked his cheek, smiling softly: “Your wish will come true…”

Li Dingyuan lowered his eyes, hiding the reluctance in them.

When she said this, she had completely despaired of him, hadn’t she…

Li Dingyuan returned to his room dejected, not sleeping but sitting in darkness, staring blankly at the lamplight in Ruyi’s room diagonally across.

She wasn’t sleeping either…

Li Dingyuan didn’t dare think too much, afraid he couldn’t bear this torment and would do something he’d regret for life. Whatever Ruyi decided, he should accept it.

The sky showed fish-belly white. Only when his legs felt numb and sore did Li Dingyuan realize he had sat rigidly all night. Standing to stretch his stiff body, just after changing from night clothing to ordinary clothes and preparing to fetch water for washing before making breakfast, he saw Ruyi push open her door and then actually leave through the back gate.

Li Dingyuan’s first reaction was worry for Ruyi’s safety. Though day was breaking, there were still few people on the streets, and their neighborhood was mixed and chaotic. He immediately followed without hesitation.

Ruyi might have been influenced since childhood, so she knew acupoints and understood some martial arts knowledge, but hadn’t actually practiced martial arts, making her very easy for Li Dingyuan to follow.

Watching Ruyi’s graceful figure appear and disappear in the morning mist from afar, Li Dingyuan couldn’t help but wonder.

Did Ruyi go out every morning while he was still sleeping? How long had this continued? What was she doing? Or… whom was she meeting?

Li Dingyuan’s questions were soon answered as he watched pale-faced as Ruyi walked toward a man at the street corner.

He was too far away to hear what Ruyi said to that man, but could see the person wore flying fish robes with an embroidered spring knife at his waist.

It was actually an Embroidered Uniform Guard!

Li Dingyuan almost thought he was dreaming. He forcefully pinched his thigh and despairingly discovered this was all real.

Embroidered Uniform Guard… he didn’t even have the qualification to compete or question or test the other party.

Li Dingyuan had still held a thread of hope – perhaps that Embroidered Uniform Guard would harm Ruyi – but seeing them converse familiarly, he knew this wasn’t their first meeting.

Heart-dead, he stumbled away. Li Dingyuan didn’t notice that the moment he turned around, that Embroidered Uniform Guard looked accurately in his direction with thoughtful eyes.

“Have you decided?” The Embroidered Uniform Guard withdrew his gaze and asked flatly.

Ruyi smiled weakly and said bitterly: “There’s no choice… that’s his wish…”

“What a foolish child…”

Li Dingyuan stood blankly in the courtyard, not even entering the house. He would wait for Ruyi to return and ask clearly in person.

But he stood from dawn until sunset without hearing the door sound even once. As the noisy marketplace clamor outside again quieted with the sun’s setting, Li Dingyuan suddenly had a premonition.

Just like eight years ago when he waited for Lüdi, Ruyi would never return again.