The carriage was cramped. Su Niao was pinned against the wall of the compartment, her legs trapped beneath the man’s bent knee. She couldn’t move at all and could only glare at him resentfully.
After apologizing, the man continued in the same cool tone: “It seems the young lady doesn’t value her life very much.”
Su Niao was startled and immediately shook her head frantically.
The dim light inside the carriage made his features difficult to see. Behind the mask, the man’s cold eyes studied the young woman before him, whose catlike eyes were now filled with fear.
She knew how to be afraid now. A moment ago, when she’d fired that wrist crossbow at him, her eyes had been fierce enough.
“There won’t be a next time,” the man said flatly.
Su Niao hurriedly nodded. She knew she was no match for him, and she was afraid that if she truly angered him, he might kill her. Silently cursing him in her heart, she nonetheless had no choice but to call out to Lichun outside: “We’re going outside the city.”
Lichun let out a surprised sound. “Outside the city?”
But at that moment, she noticed two figures approaching from across the street. She recognized one of them immediately: the Third Prince, Xie Yongze. The young man beside him wore a black brocade robe. His bearing was cold and imposing. The stern-looking man raised a finger to his lips, signaling for silence, then pointed toward the carriage and mouthed: “There’s someone.”
Lichun was confused at first. Then she suddenly understood. Her eyes widened as she slapped a hand over her mouth. Hastily, she signaled to the coachman to make room. No wonder Miss’s voice had sounded strange. And no wonder she had suddenly wanted to leave the city. These two were here to rescue her!
Xie Yongze looked at the man beside him with some concern and asked quietly, “Can you do it?”
The street was crowded with passersby. If anything went wrong, things could turn ugly very quickly.
The black-robed man, Shu Xuanqing, lifted a hand to silence him. Then he calmly approached the carriage. Without the slightest warning, he flung open the carriage curtain and struck out with a powerful palm the instant he did so. Inside the carriage, before Su Niao could even react, a powerful force suddenly hurled her outward.
The masked man shoved her out of the carriage, then struck the carriage wall with a backhand palm. In the next instant, he leaped onto a nearby building and vanished in the blink of an eye.
Dazed, Su Niao stared at the person who caught her and landed with her on the street below. The next moment, her eyes abruptly reddened. Big Brother!
Shu Xuanqing’s goal had only been to save her. After catching her in his arms, he didn’t try to pursue the fleeing man. Yet unexpectedly, the girl in his arms simply stared at him, eyes reddening. Since his youth, he had spent most of his life stationed at the border with his father and rarely returned to the capital. One could say he had grown up in military camps. Naturally, he was not the sort of man who cherished women or pitied delicate beauties. Yet at this moment, looking at the breathtakingly beautiful girl before him, he found himself displaying an unusual degree of patience.
“Are you hurt, Miss?”
Su Niao shook her head, but unconsciously continued clutching his lapel.
Just then, Ye Lingxi rushed over from Wanbao Pavilion. “Cousin! She’s that infamous Su Niao everyone’s been talking about these past few days, the one who stole credit from her own sister! Hurry and throw her down!”
She pointed dramatically. “Throw her hard onto the ground!”
Su Niao: …
Shu Xuanqing’s expression remained unchanged. He asked Su Niao, “Can you stand?”
A little embarrassed, she nodded. “Yes.”
Only then did Shu Xuanqing set her down.
In a small voice, somewhat shyly, Su Niao said, “Thank you, Big Bro… I mean, thank you, sir.”
Beside them, Ye Lingxi saw the sparkle in Su Niao’s eyes as she looked at Shu Xuanqing and was immediately alarmed. “Holy crap, Su Niao! Don’t tell me that now that you can’t become a prince’s wife, you’ve set your sights on my cousin instead?”
She grabbed Shu Xuanqing’s sleeve. “I’m telling you, my cousin would never be interested in a pretty-but-empty-headed vase like you!”
Pulling on his sleeve, she continued anxiously, “Cousin, don’t let her fool you! She’s usually arrogant, overbearing, and downright awful. She’s only putting on an act in front of you right now!”
After unexpectedly running into her brother, Su Niao was already happy, a little shy, and excited. Yet Ye Lingxi kept chattering noisily beside her.
Finally, Su Niao lost her patience and snapped back, “Jumping around and screeching like that, are you some female monkey from Mount Emei?”
Ye Lingxi flew into a rage. “You…!”
Unable to help himself, Shu Xuanqing finally spoke. “Lingxi.”
Ye Lingxi immediately fell silent, though she could not resist muttering,
“I’m telling the truth. Just look at that sharp tongue of hers. Cousin, you’ve only just returned to the capital, so you don’t understand. If you don’t believe me, ask the Third Prince.”
Xie Yongze looked completely helpless and made it clear that he had no desire to get involved in this mess.
Shu Xuanqing, meanwhile, looked at Su Niao and said with a smile, “Miss Su remained calm in the face of danger just now and even dared to fight back. That’s quite courageous.”
Su Niao immediately became embarrassed again. Part of her felt she shouldn’t be acting this way, but she still couldn’t help looking toward the tall, elegant man standing opposite her. Her brother was still alive. That was wonderful.
Just then, a voice rang out: “Su Niao!”
Xie Qinglan had originally accompanied Su Xuan on a shopping trip because Su Xuan had said she felt guilty about Su Niao being sent away and wanted to choose a thoughtful gift for her. Yet from the second floor of Mingyue Tower across from Wanbao Pavilion, he had unexpectedly witnessed Shu Xuanqing rescuing her.
Now, seeing Su Niao gazing eagerly at Shu Xuanqing, Xie Qinglan’s expression darkened slightly. After patiently greeting the Third Prince, he thanked Shu Xuanqing for the rescue, then said he would take Su Niao home.
Meanwhile, Su Xuan stood beside him, her face full of concern as she tugged gently at Su Niao’s sleeve. “Niao Niao, are you alright?”
Su Niao immediately shook off her hand. At once, Su Xuan’s face filled with hurt.
Seeing the faint hostility in Xie Qinglan’s eyes, Shu Xuanqing suddenly smiled. Naturally, he had already heard about the scandal involving the Fifth Prince and the Su sisters that had dominated the capital’s gossip over the past several days.
Now, watching Xie Qinglan accompany the elder sister while simultaneously keeping his attention fixed on the younger one, he spoke with a half-smile: “Your Highness the Fifth Prince certainly works hard, trying to look after two young ladies all by yourself.”
The Shu family were nobles who had earned their status through genuine military achievements. Shu Xuanqing did not need to humble himself before a prince, and his words were therefore direct and blunt.
Xie Qinglan’s tone grew heavy. “Young General Shu, my imperial father entrusted you with command of the Imperial Northern Guard. Yet criminals are committing crimes in broad daylight on the streets. Perhaps you should focus on your own responsibilities first.”
Shu Xuanqing nodded.
“Thank you for Your Highness’s guidance.”
Xie Qinglan withdrew his gaze and said to Su Niao, “Come home with us.”
To his surprise, Su Niao refused without hesitation. “No way. Could you two just stay together by yourselves and stop dragging other people into your mess?”
After saying that, she completely ignored the ugly look on Xie Qinglan’s face and turned to Shu Xuanqing with hopeful eyes. “Brother Shu, could you escort me home?”
Shu Xuanqing smiled. “I could, but I’m with the Third Prince…”
Immediately, Su Niao replied: “Not him!”
The Third Prince, Xie Yongze, was also on her list of most-disliked people.
Being rejected so openly, Xie Yongze could hardly argue with a young lady over something so trivial. He awkwardly rubbed his nose and bid Shu Xuanqing farewell.
Ye Lingxi was so angry she nearly stomped her feet. She certainly didn’t want to escort Su Niao, but she wanted even less to leave this seductive vixen alone with her cousin. In the end, despite her reluctance, she was dragged along by Shu Xuanqing and climbed aboard Su Niao’s carriage with them.
As he watched Su Niao leave together with Shu Xuanqing, Xie Qinglan’s brows knitted tightly together and his expression darkened considerably.
Su Xuan glanced at him before speaking gently: “I think my younger sister seems rather fond of Young General Shu, and he appears to regard her differently as well. If the two of them could make a good match of it, I’d feel a little less guilty.”
Xie Qinglan let out a cold snort. “What good match?”
“Shu Xuanqing knows full well that Father Emperor intends to marry my Ninth Sister to him, yet here he is attracting Su Niao’s attention. That alone shows he’s no decent man.” He sneered.
“Su Niao’s judgment has always been that poor. She’s completely superficial.”
Catching the irritation in his eyes, Su Xuan paused briefly, then lowered her gaze and changed the subject. “Your Highness, regarding the two of us now, what are Your Highness’s thoughts?”
Xie Qinglan frowned slightly and instinctively looked up, only to meet Su Xuan’s timid eyes.
Those eyes looked so fragile and harmless, as though they held the softest, purest thing in the world. In an instant, his heart softened. A powerful urge to protect her welled up inside him.
Su Xuan spoke softly: “My mother is angry. She says she wants me to become a nun.”
Xie Qinglan immediately frowned. “Su Niao is only being sent to Yunzhou to reflect on her conduct. Why would they force you to become a nun?”
Su Xuan lowered her eyes. “The matter between Your Highness and me has already become public knowledge. My mother fears there’ll be no good way to resolve it. I know that even if my sister has withdrawn now, she still remains in Your Highness’s heart…”
“Who says she does?” Recalling Su Niao’s earlier eagerness to avoid him, Xie Qinglan let out a cold laugh.
“It’s over between us.” He looked down at Su Xuan. “Don’t worry. I’ll ask Mother to petition for an imperial decree of marriage.”
How could he possibly let down a girl who was so devoted to him, so kind and pure?
Su Xuan looked up at him, tears shimmering in her eyes, as though her entire world contained no one but Xie Qinglan. “I knew it. Your Highness is a responsible man, someone worthy of entrusting a lifetime to; someone worth giving everything for.”
Xie Qinglan reached out and drew her into his embrace as the carriage continued rolling forward.
Meanwhile, in another carriage, Su Niao chatted nonstop with Shu Xuanqing. One moment she was asking when he had returned to the capital. The next, she was asking whether guarding the border had been difficult. Then she suddenly remembered something. “I have a set of gold-thread soft armor. I’ll have someone deliver it to your residence later.”
Were all young ladies in the capital this enthusiastic? Shu Xuanqing couldn’t help laughing. “That would be far too valuable.”
Su Niao hurriedly replied, “Brother Shu saved my life. A life-saving favor should be repaid a hundredfold…”
Seeing that any further refusal might actually make the girl cry from anxiety, Shu Xuanqing could only accept helplessly, planning to send a gift in return another day.
Ye Lingxi finally could not hold it in any longer. “Su Niao, you can’t seriously be trying to set your sights on my cousin, can you? If you know what’s good for you…”
Before she could finish, Su Niao interrupted in surprise: “Wait… you’re still here?”
Ye Lingxi, who had spent the entire journey gritting her teeth in frustration: “…”
Su Niao turned to Shu Xuanqing and spoke seriously. “Brother Shu saved my life. When I see Brother Shu, I feel unusually close and comfortable with him. I absolutely have no other intentions. Please don’t misunderstand.”
The girl’s gaze was sincere. Her affection was clear and unclouded, with no hint of romance.
In truth, Shu Xuanqing also found her strangely familiar and likable. Hearing her words, he smiled, “Miss Su is innocent and straightforward by nature. Of course I won’t misunderstand.”
As he spoke, however, a thought surfaced involuntarily in his heart. If his younger sister were still alive, she would be about this age now.
When they arrived at the gates of the Duke’s residence, the carriage stopped, and Shu Xuanqing and Ye Lingxi got out.
Su Niao was reluctant to part with him, yet could only force herself to restrain her feelings. Looking at Shu Xuanqing with longing eyes, she said, “Brother Shu, until we meet again…”
After speaking, she finally couldn’t help herself. “When I go to Yunzhou, could Brother Shu come visit me?”
Su Niao knew she was being somewhat inappropriate. But seeing her elder brother, who in her previous life had given everything for her, standing here alive and well… The fact that she wasn’t clinging to him and refusing to let go already showed tremendous self-restraint.
Shu Xuanqing found the situation both amusing and helpless. This young lady was a little too naturally familiar with people. All he could do was respond warmly but with some distance: “If circumstances permit, and if I’m passing through, I’ll visit Miss Su.”
Beside them, Ye Lingxi clicked her tongue. “You’re about to get shipped away, Su Niao. By the time you come back in six months, your sister will probably be married to a prince. And all those families who used to pursue you won’t be willing to marry you anymore. By then, your reputation will be in shambles and nobody will want you. How tragic…”
Shu Xuanqing frowned. “Lingxi.”
The very next moment, however, the Su Niao who had just been acting like a pitiful little kitten in front of him launched an immediate counterattack.
“Then I wish all of them upon you.”
Ye Lingxi thought of those spoiled young noblemen who rode around the capital putting on airs and immediately flew into a rage. “Who wants to marry them? Su Niao, you’re horrible!”
But Su Niao had already waved her hand dismissively and ignored her.
Furious, Ye Lingxi complained: “Cousin, look at her! She’s awful.”
The corners of Shu Xuanqing’s mouth curved upward. “I actually think Miss Su is straightforward, innocent, and rather charming.”
Ye Lingxi: …