Chapter 49

Chapter 49

Luo Qianyu was momentarily stunned. "Where to?"

"Anywhere's fine," Lou Xian said softly. "The lands of the Ximo people, Pingchuan, Suyang... I know you're tired of the endless buildings and courtyards of the capital. You love riding horses, playing cuju, shooting willow targets, the blazing sun and glaciers, the wilderness and the endless winds. If the capital isn't where you want to stay, then I'll take you to see the stars over the desert sea, chase the flowing clouds on the grasslands, climb snowy mountains to seek the long winds..."

Lou Xian blurted out his heartfelt words all at once, seeming to revert to his old self, which didn't quite match his current formal attire. He went on, listing more and more examples, and the Young Marquis stood there, stunned, then suddenly the corners of his lips lifted slightly. A smile like spring streams breaking through ice rippled across his brows and eyes.

Lou Xian stared, momentarily dazed.

His voice trailed off, his Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and he averted his gaze.

To be honest, Luo Qianyu wanted to leave even more than Lou Xian, but not now.

The timing wasn't right, the motivation wasn't right, and the location certainly wasn't right. Even if he were to leave, he could only stage his death at the plot point where the Young Marquis's character was written to exit.

The role he had transmigrated into was that of the Marquis Heir. Though noble, not to mention how to handle the matter of inheriting the title in the future, for now, the male protagonist (the 'shou') was still by his side. Although Lou Xian's words were very tempting, as long as he hadn't severed ties with his personal guard, he couldn't regain his freedom. This was true for Wen Yu, and even truer for himself.

The Young Marquis sighed and nodded sincerely, patting Lou Xian's back. "I'd like to go with you too."

Lou Xian's figure stiffened. "Really?"

"Mhm, but not now." Luo Qianyu thought for a moment, then smiled lightly and gave a slight bow with hands clasped. "If fate allows us to meet again in the future, and I am alone by then, I hope Brother Lou can offer your assistance."

"Meet again by fate? What do you mean?" Lou Xian seemed to have caught the key point and pressed further. "You plan to leave the capital later? And alone... What will you do outside the capital? Where will you go?"

The Young Marquis felt a lump in his throat and silently changed the subject. "Go get my outer robe. It's getting late. Are you leaving? I'll see you to the gate..."

After Lou Xian left, Luo Qianyu took advantage of the fact that Wen Yu hadn't returned yet in the early morning and hadn't had time to drag him out for martial arts practice. He hurried early to Su He's place and woke him up.

Su He, bleary-eyed, said, "Young Marquis...?"

Luo Qianyu didn't disturb Su He's Page, only him. Leaning over his bedside, he asked in a low voice, "The next chapter? Su He, how many pages have you written these past few days I've been away?"

Su He: "..."

He guiltily averted his gaze.

These past few days, the Young Marquis hadn't come looking for him. For some reason, his speed of writing the storybook had noticeably slowed. He had only ever written for himself before, never thought of contacting bookshops, so he had no readers at all. The Young Marquis was the first person to read his storybook.

To be honest... he felt a sense of accomplishment.

It gave him more motivation to write the storybook.

But put on the spot like this, Su He didn't dare say he hadn't written a single chapter. He stammered, "Just a little... Would the Young Marquis like to read it?"

Luo Qianyu didn't mind it being little. He took the few sparse pages Su He had written and was just about to read them when Su He's Page happened to poke his head in and said softly, "Young Master, your attendant has returned. He seems to be looking for you."

Looking for him? Not good, it might be Zhao Nian. Wen Yu usually wouldn't actively seek him out.

He hadn't finished reading the storybook in his hand yet and was hesitating when he heard Su He say, "Young Marquis, why don't you take it back to read? I have new paper, it's no trouble."

The Young Marquis nodded, carefully rolled up the few pages of paper, tucked them away, and then went out.

Only when he was alone did Luo Qianyu open the storybook, and he couldn't help feeling uneasy—

The plot of the latest chapter was indeed explosive.

It told of how envoys from the Western Desert arrived at court. After staying in the capital for five days, a grand farewell banquet was held in the palace. An edict was issued allowing ministers to bring their families. The Young Marquis originally went to the banquet with the Old Marquis, but secretly brought Wen Yu along.

Wen Yu's appearance was truly striking. Although he wasn't brought into the palace proper, he successfully caught the attention of the Western Desert envoy.

Unexpectedly, Wen Yu was abducted by the Western Desert men during the banquet. The Young Marquis, realizing his personal guard was missing, not only did not give chase but hesitated for a while... He felt he had been too good to Wen Yu.

Wen Yu kept rejecting him; he had it too easy here. He needed to suffer some setbacks, learn a lesson, to truly understand his own goodness.

Only after Wen Yu had endured enough humiliation and tasted enough bitterness would the Young Marquis appear like a savior to rescue the beauty. This way, the protagonist shou would become completely devoted to him.

The Young Marquis originally wanted to scare the beauty a bit, but midway through Wen Yu being taken away, he regretted it. He hurriedly sent his men to pursue them, but when he rushed to the scene, he found someone else had already intercepted—

That Mysterious Guest appeared.

His appearance couldn't be seen, his identity unclear. Yet such a person of unknown background actually appeared before him, a fleeting glimpse that made the protagonist shou's heartstrings tremble.

This was also the second formal appearance in the original book of the Mysterious Guest, who appeared so rarely he was almost never seen, saving Wen Yu with a folding fan.

When a supporting character was mysterious to this extent, he would possess popularity far exceeding that of the main characters. And as the contrasting counterpart, the Young Marquis's scumbag behavior was truly off-putting. This wave of foolish maneuver successfully caused his own stock to plummet, driving away a large number of fans.

While lost in thought, he heard sounds from outside the door. It was Wen Yu returning.

Luo Qianyu silently tucked the storybook into his robes. Today was a day off, no need to go to the academy, so he continued to practice calligraphy with a brush, not glancing sideways, regardless of whether Wen Yu returned or not.

Then he sensed Wen Yu stopping by his side. A cool voice spoke: "Young Master, while this subordinate was away, did you neglect your morning practice?"

Luo Qianyu: "..."

Then he was dragged off by Wen Yu to practice swordsmanship. Two hours later, when he returned, the Young Marquis was covered in a light sheen of sweat, his arms so tired he could barely lift them. So he took off his outer robe and went to bathe at the Crown Prince's quarters.

Zhao Nian took the outer robe the Young Marquis had taken off. Seeing that Wen Yu seemed about to follow, his expression darkened. He handed the outer robe to Wen Yu and said irritably, "He is your young master as well. Washing clothes, folding robes, attending to daily life—how can I handle it all alone? Since you acknowledge him as your master, how can you not know to care for him?"

He said, "This is the Young Marquis's outer robe. Today, you wash it."

Seeing Wen Yu take it, he originally surmised that this person, always aloof and distant, would surely dislike objects tainted with the Young Marquis's scent. Unexpectedly, the other's expression remained as calm as usual, showing neither any sign of refusal nor the slightest hint of disgust.

He was taken aback, fell silent for a moment, then couldn't help but add a reminder: "Don't forget to turn the inner lining and cuffs inside out to clean them thoroughly."

-

In the blink of an eye, the day of the Western Desert farewell banquet arrived.

Half the imperial city was hung with lanterns and colorful silks, extraordinarily lively. Luo Qianyu hadn't yet taken an official post in the capital, so this time attending the evening banquet was only as a family member.

When getting off the carriage, the Young Marquis didn't closely follow his father. His mind preoccupied with tonight's developments, his steps unconsciously slowed. But then he heard Wen Yu suddenly speak up in a low voice: "Young Marquis, are personal weapons allowed to be carried in the palace?"

Luo Qianyu was somewhat puzzled. Although Wen Yu had been away from the court for a long time, he was after all from a prestigious family, familiar with court regulations and palace rules since childhood. How could he not know such a prohibition? Or perhaps... as the protagonist, Wen Yu's sixth sense was stronger than ordinary people's. Could he also vaguely sense the danger of being abducted and was subconsciously preparing to defend himself?

His brow twitched slightly. The Young Marquis sighed, knowing Wen Yu couldn't escape this, and answered: "Naturally not. The palace restrictions are strict. Forget ordinary officials, even princes and nobles cannot enter the palace wearing swords."

Three golden bells sounded outside the hall. Palace attendants bowed their heads to guide the way as guests gradually took their seats.

As soon as they stepped into the main hall, the personal guard had been stopped by guards. Since attendants were not allowed inside, they could only wait in the corridors and at the Xihua Hall.

After the Young Marquis took his seat, a young master in brocade robes beside him leaned over with a smile, cupping his hands in greeting: "Long time no see. The Young Marquis's grace is even more outstanding than before."

Luo Qianyu glanced sideways, squinting as he sized him up. He vaguely remembered this was the heir of some commandery prince, likely one of the Young Marquis's not-so-close fair-weather friends. He couldn't be bothered to recall his name, only perfunctorily raised his cup in return: "The heir flatters me."

Seeing his lack of interest, the heir didn't take the hint. Instead, he leaned closer and lowered his voice: "The one outside the hall earlier, I saw him. Is that the rumored Capital's First Beauty, the top scholar personally selected by the late emperor?"

Luo Qianyu's brow furrowed slightly. Before he could respond, the other already smiled meaningfully: "So the rumors are all true. But judging by the situation... the Young Marquis hasn't managed to get your hands on that personal guard of yours yet?"

Luo Qianyu's fingers paused, the wine in his cup trembling slightly along with them.

Prince Chen knew he had guessed correctly and didn't say another word. A small black lacquered wooden box slid from his sleeve and, concealed by the drape of his sleeve, was pressed into Luo Qianyu’s palm. His voice dropped even lower: “This is a secret medicine from the Western Regions. There are three pills in total; one pill per dose is enough. Even a man of iron will must melt like springwater into your embrace.”

Luo Qianyu’s fingers trembled. The wooden box dug into his palm until the skin turned white.

He suddenly realized—this was a key plot point in the original book.

The Young Marquis, pining away day after day, later resorted to a despicable trick—namely, an aphrodisiac.

The prince leaned in closer still, lowering his voice with a hint of boasting: “Don’t underestimate this medicine, Young Marquis. Though it looks no different from ordinary love potions, its wonder lies in… the person who takes it will wake up the next morning having completely forgotten the night’s amorous affairs.” He smiled suggestively. “No resentment, no entanglement. You can enjoy yourself to the fullest… This is a rare treasure indeed.”

Such a powerful drug?

Luo Qianyu was inwardly astonished. No wonder the original protagonist was bewitched by such a sinister aphrodisiac. But this very plot of drugging was also what caused the Young Marquis’s popularity to plummet massively in the book.

He knew it was coming, but he hadn’t expected this plot point to arrive so soon, already foreshadowed at this early stage… Then again, by this point in the original book, he and Wen Yu had already kissed and embraced, with only the final step left unconsummated.

But he and Wen Yu had not overstepped any boundaries now; their relationship remained pure and innocent.

Halfway through the farewell banquet, as Luo Qianyu was picking at a cold dish, he suddenly heard a woman’s voice: “I’m late—!”

A figure stumbled into the side seating area. The newcomer’s golden hairpin hung askew, her hair disheveled, yet her features were stunningly beautiful. Luo Qianyu had just picked up a slice of beef but hadn’t yet taken a bite when it was knocked from his chopsticks.

The surrounding guests gasped in surprise, but soon an eerie silence fell.

Everyone tacitly lowered their eyes.

Ahem, it was that mad Princess.

Whispers broke out quietly:

“Truly an eye-opener. I’ve never seen Her Highness the Princess’s face before…”

“How strange. Why would His Majesty allow Her Highness to appear at such a banquet?”

“Perhaps Her Highness has been behaving more calmly lately. The Emperor, in his benevolence, granted her special permission to attend the banquet.”

…

The Young Marquis suspected he and this Princess were fated to cross paths. On the rare occasions she had episodes in public, he happened to be present both times. Seeing the Princess stumble and collapse onto a seat, then grow still, her phoenix eyes fixed intently on a certain spot—which, unfortunately, was right beside Luo Qianyu—he felt a chill.

Luo Qianyu’s throat tightened. Exchanging a glance with Prince Chen beside him, beads of sweat instantly formed on both their temples.

Since their seating area was almost outside the main hall, far from where the Emperor sat, although the commotion had caused a stir, it thankfully hadn’t reached His Majesty. Everyone present breathed a sigh of relief.

The Princess spoke dazedly, pointing at the grapes on the Young Marquis’s table and licking her lips: “These black fruits…”

Luo Qianyu’s scalp prickled. He quickly took the small plate of grapes and handed it to Her Highness.

The Princess stared blankly, holding the grapes, then looked at another plate and murmured dreamily: “These horse rolls…”

Luo Qianyu silently brought the donkey rolls to the edge of the table as well, pushing them over discreetly: “Your Highness, they’re all yours.”

“…” Young Master Chen couldn’t help but snort with laughter.

The Princess picked up the grapes and obediently ate two, not only swallowing the skins but chewing the seeds along with them. After finishing, she smiled at the Young Marquis: “Sister-in-law, sweet.”

Her voice was soft, heard only by Young Master Chen nearby, who pricked up his ears. “What sister-in-law?”

Luo Qianyu replied awkwardly, “N-nothing. Her Highness is just talking nonsense.”

During this exchange, the Princess leaned over to reach for other dishes on the Young Marquis’s table. The young man stiffened, subtly leaning back to avoid her, but not only did he fail to evade her, the Princess used his arm for support, and through his sleeve, her hand brushed against the box.

Both he and Young Master Chen beside him paled.

“Your Highness!” At that moment, a palace maid hurried over, her voice trembling, clearly terrified. “How could you come here… Let this servant help you back to rest.”

The Princess was hauled to her feet, her gaze still fixed on the food on the Young Marquis’s table. In her palm, she still clutched a few grapes, but her grip was so tight that they had been crushed into purple juice, dripping between her fingers.

Once the commotion subsided, Young Master Chen happened to rise, led by a palace attendant to relieve himself.

Luo Qianyu felt the night had been far too thrilling; it would be best to endure it and leave early. He picked up his wine cup, lost in thought, when he inadvertently glanced backward and caught sight of a familiar figure.

Seeing his gaze, the figure quickly hid behind a tree, acting furtively.

Luo Qianyu froze, then sprang to his feet.

Moving as if on wings, he covered the distance in a few strides. When he clearly saw the other’s face, half his soul seemed to flee his body. He stood rigidly for a long moment, unable to speak.

The Young Marquis was shocked and couldn’t help but curse: “What madness!”

Then, lowering his voice and seeing no one was paying attention, he seized the person’s wrist and dragged them deeper into the shadows. Even he, an unruly playboy, was stunned by his third sister’s audacity. “Luo Zhiheng, have you lost your mind? Sneaking into the palace privately—if the Imperial Guards catch you and mistake you for an assassin, they can execute you on the spot!”

The seized “young man” stiffened, then lifted his face, cheeks flushed: “Big brother, your eyes are too sharp. You recognized me with just one glance.”

The Young Marquis’s temple throbbed. “Do you know what place this is? If you’re discovered crashing the palace banquet, ten heads wouldn’t be enough to atone.”

Luo Zhiheng hurriedly said, “It won’t happen. I deliberately changed into your usual robes, wore your jade pendant, pinned up my hair with a crown, and brought along a servant from the Marquis’s estate. The guards saw my attire and let me in without a second glance, not even looking properly!”

Only then did Luo Qianyu notice that Luo Zhiheng was indeed wearing his clothes. Though they were loose, she had tied a belt and donned a fox-fur cloak. At first glance, she did resemble him by six or seven parts.

Only her features were softer; upon closer inspection, one could still tell she was a girl.

Luo Qianyu had never known what it felt like to have a mischievous child at home, but now he was experiencing firsthand what true heart-pounding terror meant.

Standing there wasn’t a solution. After a moment’s thought, the young man made a decisive move: “Come with me first.”

Luo Zhiheng sat in the Young Marquis’s seat, her eyes filled with delight, firmly fixed on the dancers and acrobats on the nearby stage. But then she suddenly heard her brother say: “Eat something first. Once Prince Chen returns, you must leave immediately.”

“No, no, watching for just a little while isn’t enough.” Luo Zhiheng urgently tugged his sleeve, pleading: “Big brother, it’s already spread outside the palace that this time, besides herds of cattle and sheep, the Western Desert tribute also includes exotic rare beasts brought to the capital. I hear they’re even rarer than the Arctic Wolves from the Northern Frontier!”

She pursed her lips, her almond-shaped eyes sparkling as she asked: “Brother, do you know what a ‘peacock’ is? They say this bird, whether male or female, naturally displays its plumage, and when its tail feathers spread, it’s like a galaxy descending to earth. Is that true?”

The Young Marquis silently picked up some food and stuffed a piece of sweet cake into the girl’s mouth. “Male peacocks display their plumage; female peacocks do not.”

Luo Zhiheng widened her eyes. “Big brother, how do you know these things?”

The Young Marquis: “…Your brother has read some miscellaneous books.”

“So you sneaked into the palace just to see the peacocks?” Luo Qianyu sighed softly, whispering, “If you wanted to see them, you could have told your brother earlier. I would have requested permission properly and taken you to see them openly. Why sneak in disguised, worrying all the way?”

Luo Zhiheng smiled sheepishly, her eyes curving like crescent moons. “Trying to see my brother is harder than climbing to heaven! Father keeps me confined all day, not allowing me to fool around. The Western Desert Envoy comes to the capital only once every two years. If I miss such a rare spectacle, once I’m married off in the future, it’ll be even harder to get out.”

Luo Zhiheng spoke playfully, but the Young Marquis felt a pang of sorrow. The fate of ancient women was mostly like this: born confined by propriety within deep courtyards and heavy gates, bound by the Three Obediences and Four Virtues, every rule and restriction. Upon reaching marriageable age and leaving home, they became like duckweed drifting with the water; even this bit of freedom became a luxury.

“Big brother—” Luo Zhiheng tugged his sleeve, coquettishly. “I’m already inside. Let me watch until the end. I heard there’s going to be a falconry performance by the Ximo people later.”

Luo Qianyu disagreed. Luo Zhiheng had no choice but to settle for the next best thing, saying she wanted to go to the garden to see the largest tribute item the Western Desert had sent this time.

Luo Qianyu reached out and tapped her forehead. "Stop fooling around. Do you still remember what Wen Yu looks like? He's at the West Flower Hall. Go find him right now and have him take you back to the estate."

Luo Zhiheng covered her forehead, gazing at him with pleading eyes. She tugged at his sleeve and whispered, "Big brother, I heard the Western Desert's tribute is all kept in the Rare Beast Garden. The peacock that fans its tail and the fire-breathing snake you mentioned earlier... I just want one look, and I'll go back right after!"

"No," the Young Marquis said with a slight frown.

"Just one look!" She held up a finger, her eyes sparkling. "I promise I won't cause any trouble. I'll go back obediently with Guard Wen right after."

...

Luo Qianyu's eyelid twitched. He stared at her for a long moment before finally untying a white jade token from his waist and pressing it into her hand. "Don't make a fuss," he said in a low voice. "Take this jade token."

The token was smooth and translucent, with the characters "Eastern Palace" engraved on the front. It was a keepsake given to the Young Marquis by the Former Crown Prince years ago. Holding this token allowed free movement within the palace; even the imperial guards could not stop the bearer.

Luo Zhiheng held the token, momentarily stunned.

Her heart filled with trepidation, but she truly listened. She headed straight for the place she longed to see. The garden was filled with exotic scents, and several palace attendants stood guard. Upon seeing her jade token, they all let her pass without question.

Inside the iron cages were indeed the rare birds and exotic beasts presented as tribute by the Western Desert. A peacock in one cage spread its tail feathers, the gem-like turquoise and green hues shimmering brilliantly under the light of nearby palace lanterns.

In a glass tank on the other side, a small crimson snake lay coiled. As its tongue flickered in and out, it seemed to truly scatter tiny sparks of fire.

Luo Zhiheng was mesmerized. She didn't dare get close to the red snake, but she couldn't help but lean near the cage, reaching out a hand to try and touch the peacock's feathers.

She had heard peacocks were very gentle.

"You like it too?"

A soft, eerie woman's voice suddenly sounded right by her ear, startling Luo Zhiheng so much her whole body stiffened. She whipped her head around and found herself staring into a pair of startlingly bright eyes.

The Princess had somehow appeared behind her. Her crimson robe was loosely draped, the golden hairpin in her hair was askew, and traces of un-wiped rouge still stained her lips.

She originally didn't know her, having never met her in person. But today, sneaking into the palace disguised as her brother and seeing her at the banquet, it was hard not to remember this face.

Although she had the jade token now, she ultimately wasn't her brother. Talking too much with anyone else could easily expose her. Luo Zhiheng's scalp prickled, and she instinctively took half a step back, only for the Princess to grab her wrist.

"Don't be afraid," the Princess said, tilting her head to examine her before suddenly giggling. "This face of yours... resembles him, yet doesn't."

Luo Zhiheng's heart pounded like a drum. Had she been recognized? She forced herself to stay calm. "Your Highness, I... I was just..."

"Shh, shh, shh." The Princess raised a finger to press against Luo Zhiheng's lips, her gaze unfocused. "You don't look good in men's clothes. Let me help you change into something else."

Before Luo Zhiheng could react, the Princess was already pulling her along, dragging her into a secluded side hall in a corner of the garden.

"Your Highness, this isn't appropriate..." Luo Zhiheng panicked, but the Princess was surprisingly strong. With a few tugs, she loosened Luo Zhiheng's hair ribbon, and a cascade of black hair instantly tumbled down.

"So it is a girl!" The Princess's eyes lit up, and she clapped her hands excitedly. "I knew it! What young master could be born so handsome..."

Knowing her identity was exposed, Luo Zhiheng was at a loss, feeling disaster had truly struck.

As she spoke, the Princess pulled a delicate gold phoenix hairpin from her own hair and, without waiting for a response, stuck it into Luo Zhiheng's bun. Then she shook out a crimson palace gown and wrapped it around Luo Zhiheng. Struggling was futile, and Luo Zhiheng was truly dressed in the Princess's clothes.

"Beautiful! Truly beautiful!" The Princess, now wearing only her undergarments, took two steps back, gazing at her with a seemingly infatuated look. "Even more beautiful than the white cat I used to keep..."

Luo Zhiheng looked down. The outer robe on her body trailed on the ground, and the phoenix hairpin in her hair felt heavy—clearly the Princess's formal attire. Fear gripped her heart, yet the reflection in the mirror was dazzlingly beautiful, momentarily making her feel dazed.

"Your Highness, I should go back..." she whispered hesitantly.

But the Princess suddenly leaned close, her cool fingers stroking Luo Zhiheng's cheek. "What's the hurry? Stay and talk with me a little longer. It's been so long since anyone played with me in the palace." In the Princess's maddened eyes, a trace of loneliness actually shone through.

Luo Zhiheng was young, and as if bewitched, she nodded.

After being pestered by the Princess for quite a while, Luo Zhiheng finally found an excuse to slip away. She wanted to take off these clothes, but her original outer robe had been taken away. If she took this off now, she'd be left in only her undergarments.

So, holding up the overly long crimson palace robe, the gold hairpin in her hair swaying lightly with each step, she hurriedly ran out of the hall. Fear gripped her heart. Her brother was with the imperial guards; she couldn't go to him. She had to find Wen Yu quickly, or her big brother would surely skin her alive!

But fate was not on her side. She hadn't run far when a palace maid behind her called out, "Your Highness! Princess, where are you going?"

She had been mistaken for the Princess.

Luo Zhiheng knew she was in deep trouble now. No, she had to find a place to change first, and then she had to see the Princess to beg for her brother's clothes back. Her brother's clothes were still with the Princess.

Suddenly, as she turned a corner past a wall and rounded a corridor, she spotted the guard her brother had mentioned in the distance.

Wen Yu was still standing there, holding his sword, his profile illuminated by a palace lantern.

Luo Zhiheng's heart leaped. Seeing her lifeline, she opened her mouth to call out, "Gu-Guard Wen!... Mmmph!"

She had just opened her mouth when suddenly, a rough, large hand from behind clamped over her mouth and nose.

Unable to make a sound, she heard a sinister, coarse voice whisper in her ear, "Finally caught you, Your Highness. We've been looking for you so hard."

"Come with us for a little trip."

Luo Qianyu sat before the low table, mentally calculating. At this hour, Wen Yu probably hadn't been kidnapped yet, right?

.

He was also deeply impressed by this thrilling kidnapping plot in the original story, though he couldn't quite remember which banquet it was. But after reading Su He's storybook, he was sure it was this visit by the Western Desert envoy.

According to Su He's writing, he didn't seem to be that Mysterious Guest.

Last time, he had meddled in the plot purely out of his own curiosity, interfering with the storyline. As a result, the Mysterious Guest's plot was affected and ended up landing on his own head.

It also led to Wen Yu developing an obsession with him that shouldn't have existed.

And the Young Marquis would also be saving someone later. Now that the plot was back on track, he was a supporting character. Even if he was to be the hero saving the beauty, he couldn't be too eager or too fast.

After all, he was the foil, the contrast to the Mysterious Guest. If he arrived too early and the Mysterious Guest hadn't arrived yet, what then?

Just as he was idly pondering, letting his thoughts drift, a palace attendant suddenly approached, bowing low and speaking respectfully, "My lord, a palace attendant found this Crown Prince's jade token."

"Did the Young Marquis perhaps drop it?"

Hearing this, Luo Qianyu was taken aback.

When he took the token, his expression suddenly froze, and his palm stiffened along with it.

—It was indeed that Crown Prince's jade token.

As it was a personal item of the Crown Prince, there was only one like it in the world, and he had just given it to Luo Zhiheng.

Luo Qianyu's brow furrowed tightly, a sense of foreboding rising in his heart.

Luo Zhiheng was probably in trouble.

After asking the attendant where the token was found, the Young Marquis hurriedly walked out of the hall. Along the way, he questioned the guards, but according to his description, no one had seen Luo Zhiheng or Wen Yu.

Just as the young man was about to turn back, a figure caught the corner of his eye. A Western Desert envoy was hiding behind a rockery, seemingly having ducked there hastily after seeing him investigating.

The man appeared flustered. Seeing Luo Qianyu’s gaze sweep over him, he turned and fled in panic.

Luo Qianyu’s eyes turned cold. In a flash, he darted in front of him.

“Stop.”

Stopped by him, the envoy staggered back two steps, his face pale. Luo Qianyu seized his wrist with a grip so strong it nearly crushed bone.

“What are you sneaking around for?”

The envoy broke out in a cold sweat from the pain. Fortunately, they spoke a common language, so he could understand. He stammered, “Don’t arrest me! Don’t kill me… I—I’m not like them. I know nothing, saw nothing. I just came out for some fresh air…”

His words gave him away—clearly, he knew something. Luo Qianyu frowned slightly and tightened his grip. “Does getting fresh air require skulking about? Speak. Have you seen a young master in a white brocade robe?”

The envoy’s eyes darted evasively as he mumbled, “N-no…”

“Liar.” Luo Qianyu shoved him against the rockery, pressing a hand against his throat, his voice turning icy. “Young Master will give you one more chance. Otherwise, we’ll go before His Majesty together. Perhaps Your Excellency will find it easier to explain there.”

Fear of the emperor finally shattered the envoy’s defenses. Trembling, he confessed, “I—I’ll talk! Just now, I saw those men… they tied up a girl in a red dress and stuffed her into a carriage before driving off…”

A red dress?

Luo Qianyu’s heart jolted. Luo Zhiheng was clearly wearing his white brocade robe—how could it be a red dress?

“Which direction did they go?” he barked.

“W-west… the western palace gate…” The envoy pointed shakily into the distance.

Luo Qianyu released him. The envoy slumped to the ground, gasping for breath. The Young Marquis didn’t waste another moment and turned toward the western palace gate.

*

Once outside the palace, Luo Qianyu’s thoughts were in turmoil, his anxiety mounting.

…Was it Zhi Heng who had been taken?

How could that be?

Then where was Wen Yu?

This was supposed to be the set storyline, and he hadn’t intervened at all. How could such a sudden change occur?

The only small comfort was that he still remembered the route Su He had written. Relying on his memory, he rode in pursuit, only to see three Ximo people’s carriages in the distance, each heading into a different alley.

The Young Marquis hesitated only a moment before charging toward the nearest one.

“Halt!” he shouted, intercepting the carriage and holding his folding fan to the driver’s throat.

The carriage curtain was flung open, and startled cries came from inside.

As Luo Qianyu climbed in, he saw five or six Ximo dancers crowded inside.

The dancers first paled in fright, but when they saw the young man’s face, their expressions changed subtly. The carriage fell silent.

They wore veils, golden bells tinkling at their wrists. The slightly older dancer recovered first, pursing her lips into a smile. Her light gauze brushed against the Young Marquis’s face. Her Central Plains speech was not fluent, but it was charming and soft enough to understand. “Where has the lord come from? Are you looking for someone? Or for something?”

The young man remained silent, his gaze sweeping over each of their faces.

Luo Zhiheng was not among them.

The dancer smiled lightly, her delicate hand sliding onto Luo Qianyu’s arm. “What is the lord searching for? Could it be… you wish to search us?”

The Young Marquis raised his folding fan, pressing it against the older dancer’s throat. “Three carriages. Which one has the person you seized?”

The dancer’s face changed abruptly, her throat tensing instantly. She shook her head vigorously. “My lord, have mercy! We know nothing of this, nor do we understand what you mean…” Her voice trembled. “We were only hired to dance… we haven’t seized anyone.”

Getting no answers and unable to press further, Luo Qianyu wasted no more time and left the carriage.

The second carriage was accelerating around a corner in the eastern part of the city.

As Luo Qianyu galloped after it, he leaped from his horse and landed directly on the carriage shaft, startling the driver so much he nearly fell off. With one kick, Luo Qianyu kicked the door open—this time, inside were several Ximo merchants.

These merchants, with full beards, were clearly startled. When they spoke, it was all in the Ximo dialect, showing they understood no Central Plains speech at all.

They babbled a string of words in Ximo. Luo Qianyu frowned slightly, recognizing a few among them as performers and animal trainers.

The trainers sat in a corner, wrapped in indigo headscarves, remaining silent the whole time. They simply stared at him, the curved blades at their waists slightly exposed.

His third sister was not here. Luo Qianyu had no intention of lingering, since he already had a target.

Just as he was about to step down, the men inside unexpectedly tried to stop him.

The lead merchant suddenly grinned, revealing a gold tooth, and his large hand shot out to grab Luo Qianyu’s shoulder. Luo Qianyu sidestepped—if caught by that grip, it would hurt more than iron pliers, and his bones would be crushed.

As he dodged, two more pairs of hands reached for his shoulders.

The folding fan snapped open. The Young Marquis pivoted and sidestepped, the fan blade sweeping with a gust of wind across the man’s throat! The merchant clutched his neck, grunting as he staggered back, blood already visible on his palm.

Another man grabbed a scalding teapot and hurled the boiling water at Luo Qianyu. The Young Marquis leaped into the air, stepping off a crossbeam in the carriage. His folding fan deftly flicked open the curved blade at the waist of another trainer, then snapped shut again. Using the fan’s handle like a sword, he struck the merchant’s pressure point under the ribs with the sharp rod.

The man cried out in pain and released his grip. The Young Marquis did not retreat further. Instead, he struck the man’s jaw with the fan, then pressed the fan’s ribs against his wrist bone and twisted hard.

With a crack, the trainer screamed and dropped to his knees.

The lead merchant suddenly drew a short blade from his waist and viciously thrust it toward Luo Qianyu’s face.

Luo Qianyu dodged to the side, using the carriage’s jolting momentum to yank hard. The merchant lost his balance, crashed through the wooden carriage wall, and tumbled onto the dusty street, rolling several times.

The remaining two, seeing the situation turn against them and realizing this man was far more formidable than they had imagined, fled through the door.

Even with the language barrier, the Ximo people shouldn’t have entangled him without reason. Luo Qianyu vaguely sensed that this group seemed to be stalling for time.

By the time the Young Marquis finished dealing with them and disembarked, this carriage had already turned into another alley, and the first carriage was almost out of sight.

Luo Qianyu grabbed one who was still conscious and forced him to lead the way.

But as soon as he spurred his horse in pursuit, after a few turns, he realized they weren’t far from the Marquis’s estate. Weighing the choice between chasing the carriage and calling for reinforcements, the Young Marquis decided to pursue the carriage first.

Just as he was about to continue the chase, a faint, weak call came from the alley entrance.

“…Brother?”

Luo Qianyu’s heart jolted, and he whipped around.

From the shadows at the alley entrance, a small figure peeked out. Wrapped in a dark outer robe, its hem dragging on the ground, the person looked even more frail. As the girl lifted her head, she revealed a tear-streaked face, lashes still glistening with tears, her nose tip red.

The Young Marquis glanced sideways and recognized the newcomer.

It was Luo Zhiheng!

Tears streamed down Luo Zhiheng’s face. “Big brother!”

The Young Marquis was at her side in an instant. “How are you here…? Weren’t you in that carriage?”

Luo Zhiheng shook her head desperately, her voice urgent. “Brother, hurry and save Guard Wen! He was captured by those Ximo envoys while trying to rescue me.”

Luo Qianyu was stunned. “…What?”