For the past few days, Jin Si had been restless. Every time she saw that child from the Jing family, she felt an uncontrollable chill creeping up from the soles of her feet. She had no appetite for food or tea, as if something was stuck in her throat. This morning, the weather was clear and fine. After clearing the accumulated snow in the courtyard, the servants began their day's work in an orderly manner.
Just as she was about to call for the meal, a servant from Red Mountain Courtyard suddenly came to announce that the Young Lord Mu from the Mu residence in Lingnan, the Young Prince Jing from the Yun silk fiefdom, the Seventh Prince Zhao Che, the Eighth Prince Zhao Jue, the Thirteenth Prince Zhao Song, and the Crown Prince of Prince Yan's manor were all gathered in the Glazed Hall of Red Mountain Courtyard. The eldest young master was there accompanying them, and the third and fifth young masters had already rushed over. They inquired whether the fourth young master's health had improved, and if so, he should join them for some lively company.
Zhuge Yue had an eccentric temperament. Even within the manor, he rarely interacted with his brothers, spending his days holed up in Green Mountain Courtyard, either reading or snacking on fruits and pastries, showing no interest in hunting or riding. If not for his excessively cruel nature, he could be considered well-behaved and law-abiding. At this moment, he was lying in bed. Upon hearing the announcement, he told the messenger that he was unwell and would not be joining them.
Chu Qiao stood by the incense burner, gently fanning the fragrant smoke. Upon hearing this, her eyebrows lifted slightly, her expression calm and silent. After a while, the meal was served. Chu Qiao followed behind the maid delivering the food and quietly slipped out.
Jin Si glanced sideways, taking mental note of this, and soon found an opportunity to slip out as well.
The Glazed Hall, despite its name, was actually just a pavilion situated on the octagonal hill in the center of Red Mountain Courtyard. Below it lay a green jade-like lake, now frozen solid in the depths of winter, covered in a vast expanse of snow. On either side were groves of red and white plum blossoms, braving the cold in full bloom, vivid and striking.
Beyond the plum groves lay the Zhuge family's horse-running hill—a vast slope planted with premium pasture grass transplanted from beyond the frontier, specifically used for raising those fine-blooded horses. The area was sparsely populated, and servants were forbidden to enter without reason, making it exceptionally quiet. Chu Qiao, being small and nimble, deftly avoided the guards and entered the horse-running hill, scurrying up the slope without being noticed.
Jing Yue'er's small body had its advantages and disadvantages. For instance, at this moment, moving a potted plant required considerable effort.
Just as she was about to leave, she suddenly noticed a figure sneaking past halfway up the hill. Chu Qiao cautiously crouched down, waiting until the person had left before slowly approaching. Tied to a pine tree on the hillside was a jet-black steed, tall and sturdy, without a single stray hair on its body. It showed no reaction as Chu Qiao approached. She found it strange—such a fine horse should not be so indifferent to strangers. Looking down, she indeed spotted a small pile of unfinished buckwheat on the snow. Chu Qiao stood on her tiptoes, pulled the horse's head closer, and examined it carefully for a while, her brow slightly furrowed, but she paid it no further mind.
Just as she was about to leave, she noticed dozens of snow-white feathered arrows in the horse's quiver. She took one out—the arrowhead was silver, engraved with the powerful strokes of a small character "Yan."
All the masters of the various households were dining and admiring the plum blossoms in the Glazed Hall. Chu Qiao ran along the secluded path on the cliff of the octagonal hill, placed the pot of fire-vine horns on the cliff path, and poured out several small snakes from a cloth bag at her side.
"Ha! I knew it was you causing trouble!"A shrill voice suddenly rang out. Chu Qiao turned around to see Jin Cai standing behind her, looking at her smugly as she said, "Just wait until I tell the Fourth Young Master. You're dead this time."
"Is that so?" Chu Qiao tilted her head, a sly smile curling at the corners of her mouth. Her ears twitched slightly as she detected approaching footsteps in the distance. She shook her head and said, "That's not necessarily true." With that, she suddenly leaned backward, flipping over the cliff edge and descending rapidly!
"Right there!" A young, frail voice sounded almost simultaneously. Before Jin Cai could even cry out, she was pinned to the ground by a group of burly men.
Zhu Shun stared coldly at the young girl, his teeth gritted in fury. He said in a low voice, "Jin Cai, we've caught you red-handed. What do you have to say for yourself?"
Jin Cai was horrified and quickly protested, "It wasn't me! It was Jing Xing'er! I was just following her!"
"Nonsense! I saw you sneaking around Steward Zhu's place with my own eyes, stealing a pot of vine horns, and now you're trying to frame someone else!"
A crisp, clear voice suddenly spoke up. Jin Cai turned to see a young girl standing beside Zhu Shun. Her face looked strangely familiar, and in a flash of insight, Jin Cai understood the whole scheme. She shouted, "She's in cahoots with Jing Xing'er! Steward Zhu, you can't believe her!"
Zhu Shun sat in a soft chair carried by four strong servants—the twenty lashes he'd received a few days earlier had left his buttocks still swollen. Frowning, he lowered his voice and asked, "You said you were following Jing Xing'er. Then where is she now?"
"She jumped off the cliff."
"What?" Zhu Shun flew into a rage, shouting furiously, "Do you take me for an idiot? Are you saying that Jing family girl jumped off a cliff to her death just to frame you?"
"I..."
"Absolute rubbish!" Zhu Shun roared. "You've been in the mansion for four or five years, and I've always treated you well. Your rivalry with Jin Zhu is your own business within Green Mountain Courtyard. Why drag me into this mess? And now what are you trying to do? Throw dirt on my name in front of all the masters and young lords?"
"Steward Zhu, you have to believe me."
"Guards! Beat her severely!"
Piercing screams immediately erupted. Chu Qiao, gripping a rope she had prepared earlier, swung forcefully and slipped into a small cave. Eight Triggers Mountain was built from dark rocks, and every spring, purple moss would grow on them. This moss was extremely rare—when dried and roasted, it emitted a unique, elegant fragrance that calmed the mind. Servants of the Zhuge family would gather the moss from the cliff faces each spring, and over time, they had dug out a cave tall enough for a person. Having lived in the servants' quarters all along, Chu Qiao knew about this long-existing cave. She pushed aside some dried grass, carefully landed on the ground, and slowly retracted the rope with its grappling hook, quietly waiting for the crowd above to disperse.
Just then, a warm breath suddenly brushed against her ear, accompanied by a faintly amused male voice whispering, "You little girl, how can your heart be so wicked?"
Startled, Chu Qiao whipped her head around and, in her haste, didn't forget to grab the hook from the rope, thrusting it sharply toward the other person's neck.
"I've seen countless fierce women, but you take the crown. It's hard to believe you're not even ten years old."The opponent was nimble, firmly grasping Chu Qiao’s small hand in an instant. His voice remained calm and indifferent as he spoke softly.
Though young and physically weak, Chu Qiao was pinned to the ground with one hand, yet she stubbornly lifted her head. Startled, she furrowed her brows and said in a low voice, "It’s you?"
The man seemed equally surprised. After carefully studying the child for a moment, he suddenly understood and smiled, "So it’s you. Was the wound medicine effective?"
The newcomer had sharp, sword-like eyebrows, a tall and straight nose, and eyes as dark as ink. Beneath his gentle demeanor, a sharp, blade-like intensity was unmistakable. It was none other than Yan Xun, the Crown Prince of Yanbei held as a political hostage in the capital, who had attended the banquet earlier that day.
Chu Qiao stubbornly raised her head and said coldly, "Why are you here? What do you want?"
Yan Xun chuckled lightly, "Shouldn’t I be the one asking you that?"
Chu Qiao’s mind raced, repeatedly calculating the odds of pushing this man off the cliff in one fatal strike. As she thought, her hand stealthily moved toward the dagger at her waist. Yan Xun, however, raised a finger and whispered, "If you don’t want to be discovered, stay still and don’t entertain any malicious thoughts. Such a young child, yet so ruthless."
Chu Qiao raised an eyebrow, "When it comes to ruthlessness, I’m far from matching you. Hiding here, you’re surely up to no good yourself. We’re two of a kind, so don’t act as if you’re doing me a great favor with your hypocritical kindness."
Upon hearing this, Yan Xun abruptly stood up, pushed aside the tall grass, and shouted loudly toward the top, "Who’s up there?"
Chu Qiao was horrified, but it was too late to stop him. Realizing that if she were exposed, Xiao Ba would surely suffer as well, she immediately drew her dagger and lunged fiercely toward Yan Xun’s back.
With a graceful motion, Yan Xun covered Chu Qiao’s small mouth and held her tightly in his arms. Just then, a voice called down from above. Yan Xun leaned out of the cave and replied loudly, "I’m here admiring the plum blossoms. What’s all the commotion up there? Disperse at once."
Zhu Shun was carried to the edge of the cliff. The moment he saw Yan Xun, his imposing demeanor vanished. After bowing and scraping for a while, he quickly led his men away.
Yan Xun smiled and released his grip, turning to Chu Qiao with a grin. "Now, wouldn’t you say I’ve done you a great favor?"
Chu Qiao, small in stature, stood before Yan Xun, barely reaching his shoulders. She tilted her head to listen for a moment, confirming that all was quiet above. She then threw her grappling hook upward, secured it firmly, and began climbing up.
Yan Xun watched her intently. Though she moved with agility, it didn’t seem like she possessed martial skills—merely boldness, attentiveness, and swift movements. The cave was only about a meter below the top. Yan Xun gripped the rock wall and effortlessly leaped up.
After stowing her grappling hook and scanning the surroundings to ensure safety, Chu Qiao turned to leave. Hearing Yan Xun’s voice, she looked back and said calmly, "I don’t want to owe you any favors. When you return later, be careful with your horse."
Yan Xun was momentarily taken aback. By the time he processed her words, the child had already disappeared into the distance, scrambling up and down the rugged path like a small dog until she vanished from sight.
The young Crown Prince narrowed his eyes and chuckled softly. "Interesting."The morning sun rose over the vast expanse of snow, casting its light upon the Octagonal Mountain towering above the lake's center, rendering it exceptionally magnificent.
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