After bathing, Su Leyun allowed the nanny to apply fragrant moisturizing ointment all over her body. The scent of sandalwood blended with the ointment, forming an exquisite and sweet fragrance.
She dismissed the maids and servants, changed into her nightclothes, and sat quietly before the dressing table, carefully wiping her face while gazing into the bronze mirror.
The reflection in the mirror showed features not yet fully matured. Though her complexion was less than ideal, it could not conceal her breathtaking beauty. Her delicate, palm-sized face was exquisite and charming, with a pair of auspicious phoenix eyes that curved gently whether she smiled or not.
After evening out her complexion, Su Leyun was about to go to bed when, with a sharp thud, the window was forced open from outside. Before she could react, a gleaming dagger was pressed against her neck, its cool touch sending a shiver down her spine.
“Who are you?”
Facing the elegantly dressed young man with bloodstains on his shoulder, Su Leyun frowned slightly, yet her gaze showed no trace of fear.
Searching through her memories of her past life, she recalled that this disheveled yet dignified man was Prince Jin—the unfortunate prince who had been surrounded and mauled to death by tigers during the autumn hunting grounds.
“It’s better if you don’t know who I am. If you want to live, keep quiet and send away the people outside.”
The man’s voice was hoarse and cold, his hawk-like eyes bearing down on Su Leyun with an imposing pressure.
Su Leyun remained calm and retorted, “Even if you kill me, it would be difficult for you to escape alive.”
As soon as she finished speaking, hurried footsteps echoed from outside, and the door was pounded with thunderous force.
“You! Have you seen a young man in black clothes? Search! Search every room!”
The pursuers had already reached the door. Su Leyun raised an eyebrow, looking at Prince Jin with a teasing expression.
Prince Jin’s eyes darkened. He lowered the dagger, realizing that the seemingly delicate woman before him could not be controlled by force alone.
“Speak. What do you want?”
Su Leyun’s eyes flickered slightly, her gaze falling to Prince Jin’s waist.
“Give me your jade pendant as proof. I want you to promise me one thing.”
“What do you want me to do?”
Prince Jin’s lips unconsciously curled into a slight smile. This girl was rather interesting.
Most people would be half-scared to death upon encountering an armed intruder, yet here she was, bargaining with him as if it were nothing.
He pulled the jade pendant from his waist and thrust it into Su Leyun’s hand.
“As you wish.”
The pale jade felt smooth and cool to the touch. Though Su Leyun was not an expert in jade, she knew this piece was worth a fortune.
“Deal.”
Su Leyun tucked the jade pendant into her sleeve, then took out a token and clenched it in her hand. She signaled Prince Jin with a glance to hide in the inner chamber.
Though she had no desire to become entangled with Prince Jin, securing a promise from him was still beneficial. Upon returning to the capital, the tasks she intended to undertake would be fraught with difficulties, and she might very well need to seek Prince Jin’s help someday.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the rough knocking at the door.
“Open up!”
“Officers, this is my young lady’s bedchamber. It would be inappropriate for you to enter!”
Nanny Zhang stood guard outside the door, refusing to let the officers enter.
“If it’s the young lady’s bedchamber, then we must search it even more thoroughly. If a thief were to break in and harm the young lady, it would be our negligence!”
With that, the officers attempted to force their way in.
At that moment, the door opened a crack, and a token was handed out, engraved with the words “Grand General Sun Shao, Protector of the Nation.”
The token had been specially requested by her mother from her maternal grandfather, intended as a precaution for the journey. The name of the Grand General, Protector of the Nation, was enough to ensure her daughter’s safety.
Understanding the situation, Nanny Zhang waved the token before the officers.
“Our young lady is the granddaughter of Old General Sun. A young lady’s reputation is of utmost importance. I hope you officers will be accommodating.”
With a mix of soft persuasion and firm pressure, the leading officer hesitated slightly, gritted his teeth, and left with a respectful salute.
“Enough, retrieving what the thief stole is more important. Let’s continue searching elsewhere!”
Their mission was already somewhat dishonorable. If things truly escalated and alarmed the higher-ups, no one would benefit.
As the voices faded into the distance, Prince Jin emerged from the inner room, his sharp gaze falling on the token in Su Leyun’s hand.
“You are Marquis Su’s daughter?”
General Zhenguo Sun Shao had only one daughter in his lifetime, who married into the Su Family. It was with the Sun Family’s support that the Su Family rose from poverty to the status of a Marquis Manor.
Marquis Su’s beloved daughter, Su Wan’er, was a renowned talented lady in the capital. He had seen her from afar a few times during palace banquets, and she was clearly not the one before him.
Ah, yes. She must be the biological sister Su Ye mentioned a few days ago, the one who had been switched at birth…
“Very well, I will remember you.”
With those words, Prince Jin left just as he had arrived—through the window—and vanished after a few leaps.
Seeing that he was gone, Su Leyun closed the window and took out the jade pendant from her sleeve again, turning it over in her hand. Prince Jin was originally the most promising candidate for the throne, but alas…
“Miss, are you alright?”
Nanny Zhang knocked on the door from outside. Su Leyun hurriedly tucked the jade pendant back into her sleeve. Unless bestowed as a reward, ordinary people possessing a dragon-patterned jade pendant would be violating regulations.
“Come in, I’m fine.”
Pushing the door open, Nanny Zhang placed a freshly prepared bowl of bird’s nest porridge on the small table and asked with concern, “It’s been a chaotic night. Were you frightened, Miss?”
Su Leyun picked up the silver spoon and stirred the bird’s nest porridge, her every movement exuding the grace of a noble family.
“I am a daughter of the Sun Family. Such disturbances are nothing to me.”
Nanny Zhang looked at Su Leyun with delight. When she first received this legitimate young lady, she had truly worried for her mistress.
After more than a decade of hardship, the legitimate young lady had been timid and submissive, her every action and gesture revealing a petty and narrow-minded air. Such a person would likely be devoured without a trace in the Su Manor. Nanny Zhang had advised her several times, and it seemed the young lady had taken it to heart.
After all, she carried half the blood of the Sun Family—this noble and dignified demeanor was innate.
“Miss, rest early. We must continue our journey tomorrow.”
Nanny Zhang bowed and withdrew.
Su Leyun gazed in the direction Prince Jin had left, pressing her temples.
Since her rebirth, events had followed one after another. Finally, she had time to sort through the matters of her past life.
In her past life, her elder brother Su Ye was Prince Jin’s study companion. Her maternal grandfather was upright and honest, disliking factional struggles. If he had to take sides, he would most likely have supported Prince Jin. Unfortunately, he died early and did not participate in the subsequent struggle for the throne.
So why was there talk of him backing the wrong side?
Who exactly was Su Wan’er and the person behind her?
Who wanted her maternal grandfather dead?
In this life, as long as she guarded her mother well and prevented Su Wan’er from having a chance to act, she could protect her. But what about her maternal grandfather and elder brother?
Su Leyun’s thoughts were in disarray, sometimes pondering her past life, sometimes feeling that the events just now were strange.
Prince Jin was, after all, the legitimate son of the late empress. How could he be forced into such a predicament by government officers? Who wanted to harm him? Would her elder brother be implicated?