Lu Zhuo found no evidence on the two assassins that could reveal their identities.
Judging by Wei Rao's attitude, she seemed uninterested in pursuing the assassins' origins—or perhaps she already knew who was behind the plot.
As it involved others' grudges, Lu Zhuo had no intention of delving deeper. He tossed the two bodies off a cliff and retraced his steps, soon arriving at the stone-paved path leading to the main peak of Cloud Mist Mountain.
This road, funded by the local government for pilgrims and tourists, featured smooth, eight-foot-wide stone steps. Freshly washed by melting snow from a recent snowfall, the steps gleamed clean. As visitors ascended, they could gaze upon the splendid spring scenery stretching before them, occasionally soothed by the distant, melodious chimes of temple bells—a temporary respite from worldly troubles.
Having left his horse at the mountain's base, Lu Zhuo strolled leisurely without urgency to reunite with his family.
Midway up the path, Wang Shi and her daughter Zhou Huizhen lingered in a peach blossom grove near the trail. Zhou Huizhen stood deeper among the trees, seemingly engrossed in admiring the flowers, while Wang Shi perched on a large rock closer to the edge, pretending to rest but actually keeping a watchful eye on the path below. Whenever a finely dressed young gentleman of notable appearance passed, Wang Shi would call her daughter, preparing for a "chance encounter."
Liu Momo, attendant to Shou An Jun, had also accompanied them. She sat beneath a peach tree, observing the mother and daughter with an expressionless face.
Having trailed the pair up Cloud Mist Mountain for several days, Liu Momo felt weary in body and spirit. She longed even more than Wang Shi for the early appearance of a wealthy suitor willing to marry Zhou Huizhen, hoping to be freed from this tedious duty. Yet Liu Momo knew better: any man meeting Wang Shi's lofty criteria would hardly consider marrying Zhou Huizhen.
Leaving aside reputation, the Zhou family's social standing was simply inadequate.
Her mistress, Shou An Jun, had initially been the wife of a minor ninth-rank capital official, struggling to make ends meet. When the palace sought wet nurses, Shou An Jun met all the requirements and entered the court, becoming one of the candidate wet nurses for the yet-unborn Emperor Yuanjia.
After Emperor Yuanjia's birth, the ambitious Empress Dowager refused to breastfeed her son personally. The wet nurse she favored most had milk that, while fine for her own child, caused rashes in the infant emperor. Thus, Shou An Jun was promoted. As fate would have it, the young Emperor Yuanjia thrived on her milk and grew deeply attached to her.
Shou An Jun thus began her service as a wet nurse in the palace. At that time, the Empress Dowager had another older biological son, making Emperor Yuanjia unremarkable even in his mother's eyes, let alone among the princes. Shou An Jun was merely one of many wet nurses in the palace, and her husband, Official Zhou, gained no advantage from her position.
When Emperor Yuanjia turned eleven, the Empress Dowager committed a grave error—one severe enough to risk consignment to the cold palace. At this critical juncture, she deliberately arranged for Shou An Jun, whom she had discreetly hidden away for years, to make an appearance before the late emperor.
At that time, Shou An Jun was just over thirty, having recently returned to court after a six-month leave following the birth of Little Zhou. Radiant with a captivating beauty she could scarcely conceal, she embodied a type of charm the late emperor—despite his vast harem—had never before encountered.When Shou An Jun made her appearance, the late emperor ceased punishing the Empress Dowager and instead began summoning Emperor Yuanjia with increasing frequency. At the same time, the late emperor deliberately transferred Lord Zhou to a remote post. Poor Lord Zhou, burdened by society's criticism of his wife and the ridicule directed at himself, succumbed to illness due to the unfamiliar climate and died young in a foreign land.
Shou An Jun became a widow raising three children and the pillar of the Zhou family.
During the late emperor's reign, the Empress Dowager, for her own benefit, deliberately used Shou An Jun, leading to her ruined reputation and family destruction. After the late emperor's death and Emperor Yuanjia's ascension to the throne, the Empress Dowager—fully aware that Shou An Jun had never yielded to the late emperor—silently allowed rumors to spread out of jealousy for the respect Emperor Yuanjia showed Shou An Jun. This resulted in the Zhou women becoming increasingly despised. If not for Emperor Yuanjia's insistence on sending annual gifts to Shou An Jun, would there even be a place in the capital for her family?
The noble families, out of respect for Emperor Yuanjia, dared not bully them excessively, but they absolutely refused to marry Zhou family daughters.
Even their cousin Wei Rao faced difficulties in marriage arrangements, let alone the Zhou sisters, Zhou Huizhen and Zhou Huizhu.
Both Liu Momo and Shou An Jun saw the situation clearly, yet Wang Shi and her daughter still clung to their dreams.
"Zhen'er, come quickly! We should head down the mountain now." Wang Shi, who had been peering around, suddenly beamed with delight and waved to Zhou Huizhen, who was putting on airs.
This was their secret signal—meaning a handsome young gentleman had appeared!
Zhou Huizhen touched the peach blossom she had just pinned in her hair, suppressing her inner excitement as she walked gracefully to her mother's side like a proper young lady from a good family.
Liu Momo rubbed her sore calves, supported herself against a tree trunk to stand up, and silently followed the mother and daughter.
"Mother, how is this one? Is anyone with him?" Zhou Huizhen asked in a low voice while holding her mother's arm.
These past few days, she had "encountered" about twenty to thirty young gentlemen. Their gazes when they looked at her were invariably dazzled, some even so intense it made her blush. However, when it came time for introductions and exchanging family backgrounds, the female elders or sisters accompanying those men immediately became disdainful, leaving her thoroughly embarrassed.
Zhou Huizhen's grand ambitions were nearly worn away. No matter how much she longed to marry into a powerful and wealthy family, she still had her pride and couldn't bear repeated slights.
Wang Shi said delightedly, "How should I put it? He's like an immortal descended to earth. All the young masters we've seen before combined can't compare to him. Best of all, he's completely alone—almost as if he came specifically to meet you."
Upon hearing this, Zhou Huizhen's heart burned with excitement.
Liu Momo deliberately poured cold water from behind: "Not even a single servant? Could he be a poor fellow with nothing but good looks, also scheming to encounter a noble young lady and rise to heaven through his appearance?"
There was a distinction between master and servant. Normally, Liu Momo showed Wang Shi due respect and would never sneer like this. However, after days of mountain climbing, her patience with Wang Shi had worn thin. Besides, the scenario she described was entirely possible—young masters from great families were accustomed to luxury and always brought servants along wherever they went.
Wang Shi turned her head and glared fiercely at Liu Momo, warning, "Just follow along and keep quiet. If you ruin the young lady's opportunity, don't blame me for being harsh."
Liu Momo restrained herself from rolling her eyes.
Zhou Huizhen grew somewhat worried after hearing Liu Momo's words.Wang Shi patted her daughter's hand with great confidence. "Don't worry, don't worry. With his bearing, I'd believe he's a prince."
After a pause, an idea struck Wang Shi. "Zhen'er, this man is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. If this succeeds, we won't have to keep making these exhausting trips up the mountain anymore. Listen to your mother—we'll stage something bigger later to give you more time together."
With that, Wang Shi leaned close to Zhou Huizhen's ear and whispered a long string of instructions.
"What does Madam intend to do?" Liu Momo asked with a hint of warning in her voice.
Afraid her clever scheme might be exposed by Liu Momo, Wang Shi had no choice but to inform the older woman first.
It was a foolish plan that would bring great embarrassment if discovered. Even if undetected, its chances of success were only fifty-fifty, as Zhou Huizhen's social status remained the biggest obstacle to marrying into wealth.
Liu Momo glanced around. The mountain path was empty except for them and that unfortunate "immortal gentleman." Perhaps letting them try would make the mother and daughter give up eventually.
"Madam must act convincingly and not reveal any flaws," Liu Momo warned. "Otherwise, the Old Matriarch will never allow Madam and the Young Miss to leave the house again."
Wang Shi understood. Gritting her teeth, she stopped walking as they approached a bend in the path. She slowly half-collapsed on the ground, deliberately knocking her forehead against the edge of a stone step until it reddened. After quickly winking at her daughter, she closed her eyes and pretended to have fainted from heatstroke.
Zhou Huizhen hadn't expected her mother to go this far. Clutching her handkerchief and glancing down the mountain, she suddenly began crying out, "Mother, what's wrong? Mother, wake up! Don't scare me!"
"Just crying isn't enough—you need real tears," Liu Momo said, cooperating with the pair like never before. She crouched beside Zhou Huizhen and pinched the girl's thigh hard.
Zhou Huizhen covered her mouth with her handkerchief to stifle her sobs. The pain naturally transformed into tears. Her charming face turned pale, her phoenix eyes welling up with tears that made her appear utterly pitiable. Liu Momo sighed inwardly. The young miss was truly beautiful—it would indeed be a pity for her to marry beneath her station.
"Perhaps it's heatstroke. Young Miss, don't cry. Let me press Madam's philtrum," Liu Momo said after her moment of regret. She cradled Wang Shi's head and shoulders in her lap and also pressed hard on Wang Shi's philtrum.
Wang Shi silently chanted "endure" six times in her heart, finally weathering the wave of pain.
Thus, when Lu Zhuo heard the commotion and hurried over, he saw Zhou Huizhen sitting on the steps covering her face with quiet sobs, Wang Shi lying unconscious in Liu Momo's arms with tightly closed eyes and a large fingernail mark on her philtrum, and Liu Momo looking utterly distraught and unsure what to do.
At first glance, Lu Zhuo didn't suspect a thing.
"What happened?" Lu Zhuo asked, striding up several steps and crouching beside Wang Shi, his attention fully on her.
Liu Momo was thoroughly committed to her role. She had been keeping her head lowered until the newcomer crouched down. When she looked up and saw Lu Zhuo's face, she was astonished. Good heavens, the mother and daughter had actually stumbled upon incredible luck this time—they'd encountered a truly peerless immortal gentleman.
Fortunately, Liu Momo remained composed. After a brief daze, she quickly regained her senses and continued acting, saying anxiously, "My mistress suddenly fainted, and pressing her philtrum hasn't helped."
Lu Zhuo reached out to examine Wang Shi.
Seizing the opportunity, Liu Momo glanced sideways and saw Zhou Huizhen half-hiding her face with her handkerchief, her teary eyes fixed unblinkingly on the immortal gentleman, looking completely mesmerized!
So shameless!"Don't cry, young miss. Madam has always been in good health, it must just be heatstroke." Liu Momo feigned comfort while actually reminding Zhou Huizhen.
Zhou Huizhen didn't hear her, her eyes completely captivated by the celestial man standing nearby - his handsome and elegant brows, pitch-black eyes, perfectly defined double eyelids revealed by his lowered gaze, and jade-like flawless face. If she could truly marry this man, Zhou Huizhen would be willing even if his family were destitute.
Lu Zhuo noticed the gaze from beside him, and at the same time, he discovered that the woman on the ground had her eyelids twitching rapidly in small movements.
A truly unconscious person wouldn't be like this.
Why were they deceiving him?
Just as this doubt arose, a timid voice sounded in his ear: "Young master, how is my mother?"
Lu Zhuo looked up.
Zhou Huizhen had already lowered the handkerchief covering her face, deliberately revealing her flower-like beautiful countenance to the celestial young master she admired.
Genetic inheritance is a strange thing - sisters born of the same mother aren't necessarily similar, while cousins can sometimes resemble each other.
Wei Rao and Zhou Huizhen, these two cousins, had both inherited Shou An Jun's beauty.
The moment Lu Zhuo met Zhou Huizhen's gaze, he immediately thought of Wei Rao.
If Wei Rao's phoenix eyes weren't more captivating, her vermilion lips weren't fuller and more alluring, her voice weren't sweeter, if he hadn't witnessed Wei Rao's party descending the mountain with his own eyes, if he didn't know Wei Rao's mother was far away at the West Mountain Imperial Palace, he might have almost mistaken this girl before him as Wei Rao in women's clothing come to mock him.
Lu Zhuo didn't have a good impression of Wei Rao, and now encountering another scheming girl related to Wei Rao, he snorted coldly and strode away with a flick of his sleeve.
"Young... young master?" Zhou Huizhen was completely stunned. She had only asked one question - why had the celestial young master left?
Wang Shi endured with difficulty until the celestial young master's footsteps faded away before scrambling to her feet: "What happened? Who gave us away?"
Liu Momo thought the problem lay with Wang Shi - the celestial young master had been kind-hearted when he approached and hadn't even glanced toward Zhou Huizhen.
"Madam's eyelids were twitching too rapidly, and the young miss only kept staring at that young master, showing no concern for Madam at all."
Liu Momo patted the dust from her sleeves, speaking with great regret.
This single sentence successfully sowed discord between Wang Shi and her daughter, making them blame and complain about each other, thus ending today's scheme to catch a wealthy husband.
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