Peach Blossoms

Chapter 5

"No, no, I won't allow you to get married." Lin Suyang's grip tightened, and he frowned. "He's your brother!" A loud shout pulled Lin Ziyan back from his near-irrational state. Turning around, he saw Lin Cheng glaring angrily at him.

Lin Ziyan slowly lowered his hand, bowed his head and said, "Brother, I'm sorry." Then he walked out the door without saying a word.

"Don't be too angry. Yan'er is just too attached to me as his older brother and can't bear to part with me. This shows how deep our brotherly bond is; you should be happy. I'll talk to him a bit more later," Lin Suyang said, standing up to comfort Lin Cheng. Hearing this, Lin Cheng's anger subsided slightly. Who could know that Lin Ziyan's feelings for him were far more complex than mere dependence?

Guangyue Pavilion. Feng Hanyu stood in the dark, secret room, coldly looking at the man in black kneeling on the ground. "We'll act tonight." His command was devoid of any emotion. "But Master, kidnapping Princess Jingyang now might cause unnecessary trouble," a hoarse voice came from the ground. "You dare disobey my orders?" Feng Hanyu's sharp gaze swept over him, sending a chill down his spine.

"Yes, sir." The man in black stood up, preparing to leave. "Wait." The old man who had been sitting to the side stopped him. "Master, I just received news that the plan has been brought forward. Your primary task now is to return." The old man's eyes gleamed, clearly showing his shrewdness. Seeing that Feng Hanyu remained silent, he continued to persuade him, "Master, haven't you been preparing for this day for so many years? Are you really going to let all our hard work be ruined for someone insignificant?" "He is not insignificant." Feng Hanyu replied with a frown, his tone no longer as cold as before, indicating that the old man held a high position.

"Master, once the plan succeeds, everything can be salvaged," the old man persisted. After a long silence, Feng Hanyu finally spoke: "Prepare to leave."

Volume One, Peach Blossoms, Chapter Fourteen: Mao Sui Recommends Himself

The gates of the Minister's residence were filled with the sounds of gongs and drums, a lively scene as everyone knew that today was the wedding day of the newly appointed top scholar and Princess Jingyang.

Lin Suyang rode a tall horse, her stunningly beautiful face adorned with a faint smile that made her bright red wedding robes even more dazzling. Originally, according to custom, Princess Jingyang should have been welcomed from the palace, but since the princess lived deep within the palace grounds, it was extremely inconvenient for her. Therefore, the Emperor allowed the princess to marry from the Lin family residence. Thus, Lin Suyang had to travel through most of Yundu to reach her own doorstep.

Qin Yu wore a colorful embroidered phoenix-patterned wedding robe, the beaded curtain and phoenix crown swaying slightly with her light steps. Upon reaching the sedan chair door, the wedding attendant lifted the gauze curtain, and with a flick of her wide-sleeved robe, she sat inside. At the attendant's command, "Rise!", the sedan chair moved forward steadily.

Upon arriving at the scholar's residence, Lin Suyang took the red ribbon in her hand and slowly led Qin Yu toward the main hall.

The scholar's residence was brightly lit and bustling with activity tonight. Melodious music and harmonious sounds of zithers and lutes illuminated the clear night sky. Upon entering the inner chamber, chestnuts, longans, lotus seeds, peanuts, and other delicacies were spread out on the phoenix-embroidered bed.

Lin Suyang reached out and took the auspicious scale from the maid's golden tray. He gently lifted a few beaded curtains and saw Qin Yu smiling with bright eyes. She was composed, gentle, reserved, and elegant, unlike the lively and active girl she used to be.

The candlelight flickers, the jade cups clink lightly, the wine is gone, and a melancholy lingers in my heart. I only wish to be free from despair in the future. Even if worldly obstacles stand in my way, I will remain unchanged. I let out a long sigh. Who will judge whether I am right or wrong?

Lin Suyang lay flat beside Qin Yu, gazing at the top of the red phoenix tent, and softly said, "If one day I resign from my official post and retire from the world, will you still stay with me?" Yes, will you still stay with me, my friend, who is just as lonely as I am now?

"No matter when, I'll be with you forever." The answer was calm, yet filled with unwavering determination. Lin Suyang smiled, closed her eyes, but would that day truly come?

In a corner of the courtyard, a man gazed at the brightly lit new house in the distance, drinking cup after cup of wine from the table. The wine wasn't strong, yet he was quite drunk. Suddenly, another person emerged from the shadows, strolled over, sat down opposite him, poured himself a cup, and downed it in one gulp, feeling a hint of bitterness. The man who had been sitting glanced at the newcomer, then continued drinking, "Why isn't His Highness the Crown Prince at the banquet in the main hall? What brings him here?" he asked, his voice tinged with drunkenness. Qin Hao smiled wryly: "Wasn't Commander Lin already here?"

"Hehe, today is my brother's big day, I'm happy for him." Qin Hao didn't detect the reluctance in Lin Ziyan's words, assuming that he and Lin Suyang were truly brothers and that he was just a little reluctant to let his brother get married. Although he had confirmed Lin Suyang's male identity because of his sister's marriage, he felt an indescribable bitterness and regret in his heart.

"Yes. We're all happy for him. Cheers!" "Cheers!"

In May of the 42nd year of the Shunli reign, torrential rains fell continuously throughout the Great Central Plains. Many areas experienced floods rarely seen in a century.

The atmosphere in the court today is unusually somber. A report came from Shenzhou not long ago: the Ge River has suddenly swelled. The riverbanks have breached, flooding tens of thousands of acres of farmland. Many people have been displaced and are now homeless. The continuous heavy rains of the past few days have further endangered the neighboring city of Shenzhou. The Ge Riverbed is already higher than the surrounding plains, and has long been known as the "Heavenly River." Shenzhou is located in the center of a low-lying area on its edge. Once the river completely overflows its banks, Shenzhou will inevitably become a vast expanse of water. The losses will be incalculable.

Upon hearing this news, Emperor Shun flew into a rage. Pointing at the messenger, he berated him, "Is the official of Shenzhou a good-for-nothing? Such an important matter only came up now? Guards! Drag him away and give him fifty strokes of the cane!" The kneeling man trembled all over as the guards dragged him away.

The ministers were all silent with fear. Although that person was the least likely to go to such lengths, they dared not defy the Emperor at this moment.

Emperor Shun looked down and asked, "Who among you is willing to manage the floods in Shenzhou?" Silence fell. Shenzhou, though not a large city, housed twenty to thirty thousand people. Leaving aside whether the Gejiang River dike could hold them back, the resettlement of the refugees constantly pouring into Shenzhou was also a problem. Moreover, the Gejiang River floods had always been severe, but this time it was even worse. A mishap could cost not only his official position but also his life. Who would take on such a hot potato?

Lin Suyang sneered inwardly. These people spoke so eloquently in public, but when it came to actually doing the work, they all avoided him like the plague. He hesitated for a moment, preparing to step forward to request orders, but saw that the Prince of Yin had stepped forward first. Qin Ke bowed to Emperor Shun and said, "Your subject is willing to accept the order." Emperor Shun's face lit up with joy, and he was about to speak when a hurried report came from outside: "An urgent dispatch from the border, eight hundred li away!" Emperor Shun frowned, waved his sleeve, and said, "Summon them."

A soldier-like figure entered the hall and knelt down, saying, "Your Majesty, our army has discovered two groups of unidentified individuals gathering in the border region, numbering in large numbers. Recently, we have also observed their tendency to move towards our country." Emperor Shun's expression hardened. Since Yan and Liao submitted to the Great Yang, the two states had been at peace for less than a year. How could this situation suddenly arise? At that time, seeing that the enemy state had surrendered, Emperor Shun, though not believing that peace could be maintained for long, thought that it could at least be secured for a few years. Therefore, he withdrew many capable generals and troops. Now, with insufficient manpower at the border, if the other side breaks the treaty and attacks, the Great Yang will surely suffer a severe blow.

It was truly one crisis after another, and Emperor Shun's face was extremely gloomy. He looked at the ministers below and asked with barely suppressed anger, "What are your opinions, my dear ministers?" At this moment, someone stepped forward and advised, "Your Majesty, I believe that Yan and Liao's actions this time are certainly not well-intentioned. His Highness Prince Yin's achievements are so great that they have long made the people of Yan and Liao tremble with fear. No matter what their intentions are, if our army continues to be guarded by Prince Yin, we can surely ensure the safety of the border."

The Right Chancellor Wang Cheng glanced at him sideways and said, "What the Vice Minister says is well. However, Prince Yin has just volunteered to go to Shenzhou to manage the floods. If he goes to the border now, who can manage the floods? Could it be that Lord Li already has someone in mind to manage the floods?" The sarcastic tone made Vice Minister Li Kuangjin's face turn red and white.

"Oh, so it seems the Right Chancellor has another plan?" Emperor Shun looked at Wang Cheng. "I believe..." "Your Majesty," Lin Suyang stepped forward before Wang Cheng could continue, saying, "I am willing to accept the order to go to Shenzhou to manage the floods." His few words, though not loud, silenced the surrounding ministers.

Emperor Shun glanced at the slender, newly appointed Hanlin Academician, now the emperor's son-in-law, and asked with skepticism, "What makes you so confident, son-in-law?" Lin Su smiled, instantly brightening the entire hall, dazzling everyone's eyes. "If I fail, I am willing to atone with my death!" His words were brimming with confidence. Many veteran officials thought to themselves: This is what you call a newborn calf unafraid of a tiger. Lin Cheng, standing to the side, was sweating profusely. Did this kid even know what he was saying? He wanted to speak up to stop him, but Wang Cheng spoke up again: "Your Majesty, since the Imperial Son-in-Law is so confident, why not let him give it a try? Firstly, it can relieve the siege of Shenzhou, and secondly, it can let the people see how capable the talented people of our Great Yang are." His words sounded like he was pleading with the Emperor to give Lin Suyang a chance, but inwardly he was furious. He had originally planned for the Ninth Prince to volunteer for Shenzhou, with his own people recommended to take over at the border. He hoped that if they performed well, he would not only gain fame and fortune but also control some military power. Now, Lin Suyang's words had shattered his plans, so it was no wonder he was angry. However, he wasn't sure if his own people could handle the border situation; otherwise, he would never have missed this advantageous opportunity.

Lin Suyang glanced at Wang Cheng. This old fox, he first put himself on a pedestal. If the flood control fails, I, Lin Suyang, will be thrown into the deepest hell. Looking at his kind and benevolent appearance, people who don't know him can really be fooled by his appearance. Indeed, you can't judge a book by its cover. The ancients were right!

Emperor Shun squinted at Lin Suyang. He had personally interrogated him in the Jinhe Hall that day and could see his extraordinary talent from his words. He had given Jingyang to him partly because of his ninth brother's suggestion and partly because he truly valued this talent. Now that he saw that Lin Suyang seemed confident, well, why not give him this opportunity?

Emperor Shun then issued an edict: "Imperial Son-in-Law Lin Suyang." Lin Suyang knelt down, lifting his robe: "Your subject is here."

"I hereby appoint you as Imperial Commissioner, and bestow upon you a Jade Dragon Token. You shall immediately proceed to Shenzhou to manage the floods, without fail. Furthermore, the Ministry of Revenue shall allocate 200,000 taels of silver and civilian supplies to be transported to Shenzhou immediately."

"My lord, I obey the order."

"King Qin Ke of Yin".

"Your subject is present."

"I hereby appoint you as the Grand General Who Protects the Nation, and authorize you to lead 100,000 elite troops to the border to investigate the situation. If the other side invades our Great Central territory, you may execute them first and report later."

"Your subject obeys."

"Do any of my esteemed ministers have any objections?" Emperor Shun asked, his brows furrowed. "We second that," came the unanimous reply. Only then did Emperor Shun smile. "In that case, court adjourned."

After Emperor Shun left the court, the officials dispersed. As Wang Cheng passed by Lin Cheng, he casually remarked, "Minister Lin has a fine son." Lin Cheng chuckled dryly, "You flatter me, Right Chancellor."

Seeing that everyone else had gone far away, Ouyang Yufeng quickened his pace and walked over to Lin Suyang, asking, "Suyang, are you really confident that you can cure the long-standing Gejiang flood?" He had worked with Lin Suyang at the Hanlin Academy, and after spending a few days with him, he had developed a good impression of the man's humble yet assertive and calm demeanor. Thus, he gradually grew closer to Lin Suyang and they became friends.

Knowing his worries, Lin Suyang comforted him, "Don't worry, Ouyang. I, Lin Suyang, never do anything without certainty. You can rest assured." Hearing this, Ouyang Yufeng felt a little relieved.

As the two walked out of Xuande Gate, they saw Lin Cheng standing beside the sedan chair, his face dark with anger, waiting for Lin Suyang. "Come back with me," Lin Cheng said before getting into the sedan chair. Lin Suyang gave Ouyang Yufeng a wry smile; it seemed he was in for a scolding when they got back.

Volume One, Peach Blossoms, Chapter Fifteen: Departure by Carriage

As soon as he stepped inside, Lin Cheng began to berate him: "You brat, do you even know what you just said in court? That you'd have to die to atone for any defeat? What are you capable of? How many lives do you have to give?" Lin Suyang found it amusing to see his father so angry, so he poured a cup of tea and placed it in front of Lin Cheng. "I'm only fulfilling my duty as a servant of the emperor. Besides, the Gejiang River has been flooding for a long time. If it's not properly managed, it could cause even bigger trouble in the future," Lin Suyang patiently explained.

Lin Cheng wasn't unreasonable, but he couldn't stop worrying about sending his son to such a dangerous place. He still said angrily, "It's not your problem if there's trouble. The court has so many capable people; they don't need you." Lin Suyang sneered, "If there were so many 'capable people,' they wouldn't have sent me." Lin Cheng had nothing to say, so he sighed and said, "Fine, fine. If you want to go, then go. It's too late to stop you now. But you must be careful in everything you do. Even if you can't control the flood, you must at least save your own life." After saying that, he shook his head and walked out.

As Lin Suyang watched Lin Cheng slowly leave, he suddenly realized that the man who had caused his mother's lonely early death and who had ignored him for seven years had really grown old. His hunched back gradually became blurry in his eyes.

Under the dim candlelight, Lin Suyang opened the map and studied it carefully, while Qin Yu helped him pack. After a while, Lin Suyang turned his head and saw the bulging cloth bag on the bed and couldn't help but laugh, "You want me to move the whole house here?" Qin Yu didn't say anything, but simply stuffed everything he thought he should bring into the bag.

Lin Suyang knew she was sulking. He put down the map in his hand, turned Qin Yu around, and said gently, "Alright, my dear Yu'er, I promise I'll come back safe and sound, okay?" Qin Yu lowered her head, biting her lip tightly. Lin Suyang lifted her face and said tenderly, "Don't be like this. You'll be back in a month or two at most. Then you can do whatever you want, okay?" Qin Yu finally spoke, "You promised, you mustn't break your promise, otherwise I'll follow you wherever you go." Lin Suyang was silent for a moment, then said softly, "Trust me."

The next day, when Lin Suyang went out, he saw a man with a sword standing next to his carriage. The man immediately walked over, clasped his hands, and said, "Lord Lin, the Ninth Prince has ordered me to escort you to Shenzhou." Lin Suyang nodded. Qin Yu had said last night that the Ninth Prince would send someone to protect him. After all, the journey was rushed, and the court hadn't allocated many soldiers. Bringing only a few servants was still not very safe.

Lin Suyang lifted the carriage curtain and sat down, then suddenly turned around and asked, "By the way, what's your name?" The man bowed and replied, "This subordinate is Yun Shuihan." "Oh." Lin Suyang didn't say anything more. He turned to Qin Yu, who was standing at the door watching him, and said, "Go in, take good care of yourself, and wait for me to return." Then he said to the coachman, "Let's go." Yun Shuihan and a group of soldiers followed behind on horseback. Qin Yu waited until Lin Suyang's entourage disappeared from sight before turning around and going back.

The carriage bumped and jolted along for more than ten days before finally arriving at a small town on the border of Shenzhou. The town was far from the Ge River, so it was not greatly affected by the flood, but due to the continuous heavy rain in recent days, everything was muddy and the town's stone-paved roads were almost turning into mud roads.

Lin Suyang had looked at the map and knew that this was the last place on the road where they could replenish their supplies. After passing this town, they would have to travel for another two or three days through the desolate mountains and wilderness to reach Shenzhou. So he told the team to stop and rest for one night before continuing.

Yun Shuihan booked several rooms at the only inn in town and then sent a few people to buy supplies. Lin Suyang got off the carriage and immediately attracted several gazes as soon as he entered the inn. He glanced indifferently at the small hall and saw only four or five people sitting at a few old wooden tables. They were probably all residents of the town, or perhaps they had never seen someone as handsome as Lin Suyang before. They were all staring in amazement. Only a young man in a blue robe sitting in the corner looked up at him and then continued to drink his wine.

Lin Suyang withdrew his gaze and said to the waiter who was already in a daze, "Please take me to the room we just booked." The waiter seemed not to hear him. Lin Suyang frowned, and Qiao Sheng behind him shouted angrily, "Didn't you hear what my young master said? Quickly take us to the room we just booked." The waiter then came to his senses, blushing and bowing, saying, "Please come in, young master."

Lin Suyang glanced at Qiao Sheng with a faint smile. This kid. He still speaks so impulsively. His smile left everyone speechless. Therefore, no one noticed the young man in the blue robe in the corner, watching Lin Suyang's retreating figure as he went upstairs, lost in thought.

Qiao Sheng was the son of Lin Suyang's wet nurse. Not long after Lin Suyang moved out of the west courtyard, he came to serve as his page. Later, the wet nurse resigned and returned to her hometown to enjoy her retirement, leaving Qiao Sheng alone to accompany Lin Suyang. The wet nurse said she would feel more at ease having her son take care of the young master. Originally, she hadn't planned to take Qiao Sheng with her this time, but he pleaded, saying, "My mother asked me to take care of the young master, but he always refuses to let me do this or that. I'm so useless; it's better to kick me out of the manor." Lin Suyang had no choice but to agree. Qin Yu jokingly said, "It seems Qiao Sheng is going to cling to you forever." Lin Suyang replied with a wry smile, "Yan'er just left, and now Qiao Sheng has come. I really am destined to take care of children." He forgot that he wasn't actually that old himself.

Entering the room, Qiao Sheng began chattering again: "Young Master, you'd better wear a veil when you go out from now on. Luckily, there aren't many people here. Otherwise, everyone would be blocking the way to see you. How would we dare to go out?" Lin Suyang smiled: "Your young master isn't some timid wife. A dignified Hanlin scholar wearing a veil? The officials in the court would laugh their heads off." Qiao Sheng pouted and muttered, "Who told you to be so handsome..." Lin Suyang looked at him amusedly. Qiao Sheng immediately flattered him, "Young Master, are you tired? I'll go out first. I'll come and call you when the food is ready." With that, he dashed out.

He slept fitfully through the night. The next day, Lin Suyang wore a bamboo hat when he went out. He had still taken Qiao Sheng's words to heart. He couldn't wear a veil, but a bamboo hat would do, right? Through the veil of his hat, he saw that everyone else was energetic and vibrant. His mood improved as well.

A simply decorated carriage followed by a dozen or so soldiers in civilian clothes. This procession then set off in a grand procession.

The road became increasingly difficult to traverse, riddled with potholes. One wrong step and the carriage wheels would get stuck. Traveling in fits and starts, they had covered less than half the distance after a day and a night.

Lin Suyang felt extremely uncomfortable sitting in the carriage. Being a clean person, and having not bathed for the past two days due to inconvenience, he was even more irritable. Seeing that it was almost dark, he knocked on the carriage door, called "Stop," and jumped out. He said to Yun Shuihan, who had approached, "Tell everyone to find a higher place to camp for the night." Yun Shuihan nodded, looked around, and said, "That hill ahead should be drier; it's a good place to camp." He then told everyone to get their things ready and head up the hill to set up camp.

Seeing Yun Shuihan standing to the side directing the troops, Lin Suyang walked over to him and said, "Guard Yun, this isn't a solution. How about we ride together tomorrow, taking half the men to Shenzhou first, and the rest of the people and carriages follow? This will save a lot of time." Yun Shuihan thought about it. The situation in Shenzhou was urgent, and if they continued like this, it would be too late. So he nodded and agreed, "As you command, sir."

There was a large open space halfway up the mountain. Perhaps because of its higher elevation and steeper slope, there wasn't much water. Moreover, the soil was soft and any water had long since seeped away. Lin Suyang and the others lit several fires in this place and sat around the fire to discuss the plan they had just decided on.

When Qiao Sheng heard that Lin Suyang was going to leave him behind and go to Shenzhou first, he surprisingly didn't object. He just looked at his young master expectantly and said, "Young master, you must be careful." Lin Suyang hated seeing him like this, so he turned his face away and slowly said, "I know." Actually, he knew that although Qiao Sheng sometimes acted like a child, he was usually very sensible and would never cause trouble for Lin Suyang. Thinking of this, Lin Suyang's handsome face, illuminated by the firelight, slightly curled the corners of his lips, making the soldiers next to him blush.

Volume One, Peach Blossoms, Chapter Sixteen: You Are an Old Friend

Listening to the crackling of the firewood outside, Lin Suyang tossed and turned in the makeshift tent set up for him, unable to sleep. After traveling for several days, he felt filthy all over, as if crawling with worms. "Sigh, that's the downside of being away from home," Lin Suyang chuckled bitterly.

Unable to sleep, he simply sat up, waited a moment, then got up and went out of the tent. Outside, he saw several soldiers slumped asleep by the fire; they were clearly exhausted from a day's journey. Those who weren't asleep were patrolling the area. Lin Suyang paused, then walked around the fire and outside.

The sound of accidentally stepping on the dry grass startled Yun Shuihan from his light sleep. He opened his eyes and saw Lin Suyang walking deeper into the forest. He called out to him, "Lord Lin, is there something you need?"

Lin Suyang turned around and said apologetically, "It's nothing. I just wanted to take a walk around the neighborhood and didn't want to disturb Guard Yun's rest."

Yun Shuihan said, "Sir, there's no need to be so polite. It's just that it's late and the dew is heavy, so please come back soon." Lin Suyang nodded to him and continued walking forward.

As they moved further away from the firelight, Lin Suyang discovered a path overgrown with weeds leading to the mountaintop in the hazy moonlight. He smiled and strolled up the path.

They reached the mountaintop not long after they started walking. Lin Suyang took a deep breath; the night air was crisp and cool, carrying a faint scent of grass. Hearing a "whooshing" sound in the distance, Lin Suyang was delighted and immediately followed the sound.

At the end of the path, a small pool of water appeared on the mountainside, like a shattered mirror, its surface shimmering in the pale moonlight. Lin Suyang looked around carefully. The new moon was rising, but it was mostly obscured by dark clouds, and a thin mist hung in the air. Even with his best eyesight, he could only see about a hundred steps ahead.

Lin Suyang then loosened her belt, removed her clothes, and slowly walked into the water. The pool water was somewhat cold, but Lin Suyang only felt a sense of comfort throughout her body; she had never imagined that soaking in water could be so wonderful. She raised her hand to untie her hair tie, letting her silky long hair soak into the water. Her slender fingers gently caressed her jade-like skin, and the water droplets sliding down her shoulders were shrouded in a bewitching haze in the misty night.

Enjoying her bath, she chuckled softly. Suddenly, she heard a sound coming from the nearby bushes. She cried out in alarm and was about to get up to grab her clothes when a dark figure appeared out of nowhere. The figure grabbed her clothes and wrapped them around her, then rolled her behind a boulder. When they stopped, the figure pressed down on her, covered her mouth with one hand, and whispered, "Don't make a sound."

Then came the sound of a group of hurried footsteps approaching, followed by a rustling sound. A dark figure picked up a small stone from the ground with two fingers and threw it with all its might into the dense forest in front of the boulder. Someone in the group shouted, "It's over there! Chase after it!" Then the sound of footsteps gradually faded into the distance.

Only after confirming that the others had left did the shadowy figure turn to look at the person currently pinning it down.

Although the light was dim, the eyesight of a martial artist was exceptional. The person before him had delicate, crescent-shaped eyebrows, and her eyes shimmered with a gentle light. Her cherry-like lips and flawless skin glowed with a luminous sheen under the silvery moonlight. She exuded a captivating and alluring charm, yet also seemed as cold as ice. The man noticed that Lin Suyang was only loosely wrapped in a thin garment, her rosy shoulders and neck exposed before him. He felt his face flush slightly. He coughed awkwardly. Thankfully, Lin Suyang couldn't see him, or it would have been incredibly embarrassing.

Lin Suyang stared coldly at him. Seeing that the man showed no sign of standing up, she said icily, "When will you allow me to get up, sir?"

The man heard her voice and exclaimed in surprise, "It's you? You're a woman?"

Lin Suyang looked at him carefully. Only then did he realize that the man was the young man in blue robes he had seen at the inn yesterday. He hadn't paid much attention to him then, having only glanced at him briefly. He said impatiently, "I think I don't know you, sir, apart from our brief encounter at the inn yesterday?"

Lin Suyang felt the person on top of him stiffen slightly. He thought the man would immediately get up upon realizing the impropriety of physical contact between men and women. But to his surprise, after a moment, the man remained in that position. He then leaned closer and whispered in Lin Suyang's ear, "We've met more than once." As he spoke, he reached into his pocket, pulled something out, and waved it in front of Lin Suyang, saying, "You should recognize this, right?"

Lin Suyang's interest had already been completely ruined by the person who had interrupted her bath. Now, seeing that this person not only knew her secret but was also being so disrespectful, her usually indifferent heart was about to go crazy. She glared at him angrily and saw that the person was holding a crystal-clear round jade. The jade was smooth and lustrous, clearly of high quality. The character "Lin" was clearly engraved in the center of the jade. Lin Suyang was very familiar with this jade. It was a unique jade pendant of her Lin family. When she was fifteen years old, Lin Cheng found the best jade polisher in Yundu to use the best jade material to polish two jade pendants engraved with the surname Lin and gave them to her and Lin Ziyan. However, she lost her pendant more than half a year ago when she accompanied Qin Yu to Baixun Tower.

Wait… Bai Xun Tower? Xiang Kong Mountain? Lin Suyang then remembered where she had dropped her jade pendant. She was startled: “It’s you?” But upon closer inspection, it didn’t look like that person.

The man noticed her confusion and smiled, saying, "When you're out traveling the world, you always need to change your appearance. But don't worry, this is definitely my true face." Lin Suyang rolled her eyes inwardly. Who cares what kind of face you have? Besides, it's so dark now, even if you wanted to see, you couldn't. However, the most important problem right now was how to get him off her. Although Lin Suyang wasn't worried at all about whether this man had any ill intentions towards her—for no particular reason, just a gut feeling—having someone on top of her was really uncomfortable. She frowned and said, "Don't you think it's a bit impolite to meet like this?"

What was meant to be a message of self-respect instead elicited a reply: "Rest assured, to repay Miss Lin's life-saving grace, I have decided to offer myself in marriage. By the way, my name is Si Junxing, may I ask your name, Miss?"

"Girl?" It was the first time she'd heard anyone call her that; it was truly ironic. Lin Suyang's eyes turned cold, and she said indifferently, "Young master, please mind your manners. I am a man, I was before, I am now, and I will always be. Furthermore, I am already married; there is no need for you to condescend to marry me."

Si Junxing was taken aback, feeling the sudden hostility and chill emanating from the person beside him, and a strange sense of panic welled up inside him. He carefully recalled that when Lin Suyang saved him that day, he had his eyes closed, but yesterday he saw her dressed as a man, assuming it was inconvenient for a young woman to be out in public. Now she was saying she was "married"—could there be some hidden secret behind this? Despite his thoughts, Si Junxing quickly got off Lin Suyang and turned around, saying, "Hurry up and put on your clothes, be careful not to catch a cold."

Lin Suyang slowly stood up, carefully dressed, and walked up to Si Junxing, saying, "Then, young master, would you please return the jade pendant to me?"

Si Junxing looked at him quietly, then smiled wickedly: "I said I would repay you with my body. No matter if you are a man or a woman, I will follow you. So consider the jade pendant as a betrothal gift."

Seeing that he had no intention of repaying, Lin Suyang didn't bother with it. She also ignored his offer of "repaying with her body" and simply said, "Whatever." Then she turned and walked down the mountain. Si Junxing asked loudly from behind, "May I ask your name, young master?" Lin Suyang ignored him. After a long time, three words came from the path where he had disappeared: "Lin Suyang."

Lin Suyang? The top scholar of Yundu, the top scholar of this imperial examination, and a scholar of the Hanlin Academy, Lin Suyang? I heard that he married Princess Jingyang, the beloved daughter of the current emperor, and became the emperor's son-in-law shortly after becoming the top scholar. Is this really "him"?

The dark clouds dispersed, and the silvery light of the clear moon poured down like water breaking through a curtain, illuminating a handsome face that carried an infinitely wicked air. A wicked smile played at the corners of his mouth. How could he let such an interesting person go?

Lin Suyang hurriedly ran back and felt a little calmer when he saw that the camp was no different from before. He walked to the fire, sat down, added a few more bundles of firewood, and only crawled back into his tent when he felt the dampness on his body had dissipated.

After sleeping soundly until dawn, Lin Suyang got ready and came out of the tent. Yun Shuihan saw Lin Suyang come out and immediately went over to ask, "Lord Lin, did nothing happen yesterday?"

Yesterday? Lin Suyang's heart skipped a beat, but he asked calmly, "Nothing happened, why do you ask, Guard Yun?"

Yun Shuihan breathed a sigh of relief and said somewhat apologetically, "It's nothing serious. Last night, the soldiers discovered traces of several martial arts practitioners during their patrol. I was worried that something might have happened to Lord Lin, so I chased after them, but I couldn't catch up." No wonder I didn't see him when I came back last night. Fortunately, Si Junxing led those people to another road, otherwise, it would have been a big problem.

Lin Suyang said, "Thank you for your concern, Guard Yun, but I didn't see those people. Since everyone is alright, let's set off according to the plan we decided on yesterday."