Pei Su raised an eyebrow, his voice suddenly softening.
"Princess of the former dynasty, may I ask... your name?"
The young woman seemed bewildered by Pei Su's alternating between politeness and aggression. She simply said, "Jiang Suining."
Pei Su's gaze flickered between Jiang Suining and the young man on the ground, a mocking glint in his eyes.
"This man was willing to take the blame for you, and you are willing to shed tears for him. Could he be... someone dear to your heart?"
Tear tracks still wet on her face, her eyes misty, Jiang Suining immediately retorted:
"Don't speak such nonsense! The fault was mine, yet another died for it. I... I feel as if my heart is being devoured by a thousand ants."
Her voice choked with a sob as she spoke, but she couldn't blame Pei Su, for this situation was the doing of Spirit Granny and the other silent conspirators.
Pei Su let out a soft "Oh?" then walked over to the young man, who was still clinging to life, and casually dropped a pill.
"Take this. It might just save what's left of his life..."
Immediately, several people scrambled forward to carry the blood-soaked young man away.
*What is the Young Master... doing?*
Behind him, the black-robed elder was dumbfounded.
Not even the imperial princesses of the Great Jin Dynasty or the noble ladies from ancient, powerful clans could move the Young Master like this. Could it be that he had some other scheme in mind?
Having said his piece, Pei Su turned his gaze back to Jiang Suining's face.
"Heir of the Northern Marquis, what are you planning to do?"
The old woman stepped forward, her face grim. She spoke each word deliberately, her eyes fixed on Pei Su.
"It's simple," Pei Su said coolly, taking two steps forward. "Until the suspect is apprehended, I must ask the princess to remain with me..."
"Hah! You must be joking, Heir of the Northern Marquis."
"I am not joking."
"Your Highness, step back," the old woman said in a low voice, noticing that Pei Su was now only two paces away from Jiang Suining.
Jiang Suining, dazed, was about to retreat when Pei Su suddenly reached out and grabbed her wrist.
"Insolent!"
In that instant, the old woman lunged, no longer caring about Pei Su's background.
"Courting death!"
Another low shout rang out. A black shadow flashed before everyone's eyes, and the next moment, Spirit Granny was sent flying backward.
"Spirit Granny!!!"
Everyone cried out. Jiang Suining glanced at Pei Su in terror. Unable to break free, she could only stammer with a trembling voice—
"Heir of the Northern Marquis... please don't hurt Spirit Granny. Don't take your anger out on others..."
*Cough, cough!*
On the lawn in the distance, the old woman struggled to her feet. Blood stained the corner of her mouth, but her eyes burned with a deep rage.
All eyes turned back to find Pei Su still gripping Jiang Suining's wrist, as pale and smooth as fine jade.
Their eyes couldn't help but turn red with fury.
She was the sole princess of the direct imperial line of their Xia Dynasty! Since childhood, no man had ever been allowed within three feet of her, let alone touched her skin in such a brazen manner.
To these former imperial relatives, who regarded the Jiang clan's bloodline as their supreme glory, this was nothing less than blatant desecration!
"There's another Heavenly Being here, one whose vital energy is failing. Are you not going to show yourself?"
Pei Su surveyed his surroundings, a light, unconcerned smile still playing on his lips.
"Then again, if you provoke a volatile Heir of the Northern Marquis such as myself, the next to arrive might just be the Northern Marquis's iron cavalry..."
At these words, everyone's pupils contracted in terror, and they trembled from head to toe.
Even the usually stern old woman could only point at Pei Su, so consumed by rage that she was rendered speechless.
"No..."
Suddenly, Jiang Suining grabbed Pei Su's wrist in return. Her eyes, still shimmering with unshed tears, trembled slightly.
"I will go with you. Please, spare my people. Let them live."
Pei Su released her hand and turned away, the faintest hint of a smile gracing his lips.
"Then let us go, Your Highness."
Jiang Suining stood frozen, seeing everyone on the lawn nearby staring at her, their expressions a mixture of emotions.
Spirit Granny's eyes were red, her face a mask of inner conflict.
The valley elders, who had always doted on her, were either sighing in despair or turning away, unable to bear the sight.
As for the other young men and women of her generation, some looked bewildered, some sympathetic, and others were filled with rage...
She had lived in Die Meng Valley since she was a child, with little contact with the outside world. Those around her treated her with the utmost respect, all telling her that she was a descendant of the Xia Emperor, the last of the former dynasty's direct bloodline.
No matter how sheltered she was, she understood the mission and identity she carried...
Jiang Suining bowed deeply to the crowd.
"Thank you, elders, for your years of guidance and companionship. Suining has made a mistake, and for that, I'm afraid I must leave for some time. Please do not worry about me."
When she finished, she turned to see Pei Su strolling leisurely ahead, showing no intention of waiting for her.
Taking a deep breath, Jiang Suining hurried to catch up.
...
A grim and sorrowful atmosphere settled over the hidden paradise.
Everyone went about their tasks in silence, not a word spoken.
They all understood perfectly well that the so-called Imperial Court suspect was merely a pretext. The Heir of the Northern Marquis's one and only target was the princess of the former dynasty.
No matter how they negotiated or argued, as long as they feared the North Guard Marquis's iron cavalry and the Pei Duke's Mansion behind Pei Su, they could not change the outcome.
"Spirit Granny, you've suffered a serious internal injury. You must rest well now."
A young woman with delicate features, dressed in blue, helped the old woman to the bed and continued in a low voice:
"Granny, you needn't worry too much about Her Highness. Although she left with the Heir of the Northern Marquis, I'm sure she will be safe..."
The old woman: "?"
The blue-robed attendant blushed slightly. "It's just... the way the Heir of the Northern Marquis looked at Her Highness, and the jealousy in his tone... I think he... fell in love with Her Highness at first sight..."
"Love at first sight?!"
The old woman's face twitched violently, a spasm the likes of which she had rarely experienced.
"What nonsense are you spouting!
"Saying a member of the Pei family could be swayed by beauty is as ridiculous as saying that treacherous courtier Pei Zhao is loyal to the Emperor!"
The blue-robed woman was taken aback.
"But I saw how arrogant the Heir was to us, yet how gentle his voice was with the princess. To avoid leaving a bad impression on her, he even gave a pill to save that man, and... and he held her wrist for so long..."
"It's an act! Lan Rui, the family Pei Su belongs to—they are all madmen who prioritize the interests of their family and themselves above all else.
"Everything else—romantic love, morality, natural justice, ethics—are all just tools for them to achieve their goals and seize benefits."
At this, the old woman closed her eyes and took a long breath. After a moment, she said gravely—
"He must have sensed Her Highness's Tianyun Liuli Heart..."
...
Outside the valley, Pei Su and Jiang Suining walked as far as Qingsong Pavilion.
Pei Su stopped abruptly and turned to look at Jiang Suining.
Jiang Suining immediately averted her gaze, lowering her head and turning her face slightly, not daring to meet his eyes.
Though she was ignorant of the ways of the world, she was not naive. She now understood that the "Imperial Court suspect" was likely just an excuse for the Heir of the Northern Marquis. He had threatened her entire clan of the former Xia imperial house for the sole purpose of taking her away.
But she did not know *why* Pei Su had sought her out.
There were only two things about her that could be considered special: her bloodline and her appearance.
Her bloodline, that of a descendant of the Xia Emperor, should have been one of the most noble statuses in the world. But in the Great Jin Dynasty, no one would willingly have anything to do with her.
As for her appearance, even as isolated and ignorant as she was, she could faintly sense that her looks were indeed somewhat extraordinary...
*Could it be...*
Jiang Suining clutched the hem of her clothes, her heart suddenly pounding with anxiety.
Pei Su simply watched her face quietly, his brow furrowed. He seemed to want to remind her of something, but in the end, he said nothing, merely letting her follow behind him.
Soon enough, Jiang Suining understood the reason for his unspoken words.